{"id":2059420,"date":"2023-10-08T00:23:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T04:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-bill-extending-death-penalty-to-child-rapists-goes-into-effect\/"},"modified":"2023-10-08T00:29:57","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T04:29:57","slug":"florida-bill-extending-death-penalty-to-child-rapists-goes-into-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-bill-extending-death-penalty-to-child-rapists-goes-into-effect\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida&#8217;s new law expands death penalty to child rapists."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fflorida-bill-extending-death-penalty-to-child-rapists-goes-into-effect%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2059420&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A New Law in \u200bFlorida Allows Death Penalty for Child Rapists<\/h2>\n<p>A bill \u2062recently signed by Florida Gov.\u200d Ron DeSantis extending the death penalty to certain child rapists went into effect on Oct.\u2062 1.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/Session\/Bill\/2023\/1297\/BillText\/er\/PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">law<\/a> (HB 1297) will make \u200cpedophiles convicted of sexual battery of a child under the age of 12 eligible for \u200bcapital punishment or \u200blife imprisonment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It also establishes court proceedings \u200dand frameworks for prosecutors \u200cto pursue the death penalty.<\/p>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/desantis-vetoes-bipartisan-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/donald-trump-ends-negotiations-with-nancy-pelosi-on-coronavirus-relief\/\" title=\"Donald Trump Ends Negotiations with Nancy Pelosi on Coronavirus Relief\">crime<\/a>-reform-bill-5363257?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories&#8221;>DeSantis Vetoes Bipartisan Crime\u2062 Reform Bill<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>6\/29\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/desantis-seeking-tougher-penalties-for-making-fentanyl-and-sex-crimes-against-children-5013773?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">DeSantis Seeking \u200dTougher Penalties for\u2062 Making Fentanyl and Sex \u2064Crimes\u2064 Against Children<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>1\/27\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cFlorida\u2019s law allowing \u200dthe death penalty\u2064 for child \u2063rapists\u200d is now in effect. The minimum sentence is life in prison without parole. \u200dIn Florida, anyone who \u200dharms children in such a horrific way will never walk free,\u201d \u2063Mr. DeSantis wrote \u2062on X, \u2064formerly Twitter, on Oct. 3.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d bill\u200c saw \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-democrats-push-reformed-voting-rights-laws\/\" title=\"Biden administration, Democrats push reformed voting rights laws\">bipartisan support<\/a> in both chambers, with the state House \u200cvoting \u206495-14 and the Senate voting 34-5.<\/p>\n<p>However, the law will\u2062 likely see judicial roadblocks.<\/p>\n<p>In the historic case Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008), the Supreme Court ruled 5\u20134 that applying the death \u200bpenalty to child rapists is barred by the Eighth Amendment\u2019s limit on execution for crimes that did not result in \u2063nor \u200bwere intended to kill\u2062 the\u2062 victim, \u200baccording\u2064 to\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/supct\/html\/07-343.ZS.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cornell Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Florida\u2062 Supreme Court also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/Session\/Bill\/2023\/1297\/Analyses\/h1297c.JDC.PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ruled<\/a> in Buford v. State of \u200cFlorida \u200b(Fla. 1981) that \u201ca sentence of death is \u200dgrossly disproportionate and excessive punishment \u2062for \u2064the crime \u200bof \u2063sexual assault and is \u2064therefore forbidden by the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Florida Legislature hopes to challenge\u200b these statutes and allow for capital punishment with \u201ccrimes [that] destroy\u200b the innocence of a young child and violate all standards of decency held by civilized society,\u201d the bill\u2063 reads.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c[The federal and state rulings are] an egregious infringement on\u200d the state&#8217;s power to punish the most heinous of crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:1300px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Florida&#8217;s Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a \u2064press \u200cconference \u2063in\u2064 Miami, Fla., on \u2064Jan. 26, 2022. \u200c(Joe Raedle\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mr. DeSantis called out the 2008 SCOTUS ruling in\u200b a Miami \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4QbvmJtn9ko\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">press conference<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey said the Constitution does not\u200d allow capital punishment for anything short of a homicide. And the problem with\u200b that\u200c is you have some of these sex\u200d predators that will abuse these very very young children and do it habitually, \u2062and I\u2019m just thinking to\u200b myself, \u2062you know you\u2019re ruining\u2064 these kids\u2019 lives, and\u2064 they\u2019re innocent kids,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe \u2064believe that precedent was wrong. We \u2064do not \u200bbelieve \u200dthe Supreme Court in\u2062 its current iteration\u2064 would \u200buphold it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Robert Blecker, New York Law \u2064School Professor \u200cof Law Emeritus, and\u200c expert in\u2063 constitutional history\u200d and criminal \u200claw, is not convinced a conservative majority is enough \u200bto reverse\u2062 the 2008 SCOTUS ruling.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExcept for treason, I can\u2019t see a conservative or any other majority allowing states to extend \u2062the\u200b death penalty\u2062 beyond murder\u2064 [or perhaps attempted mass murder].<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;And do keep in\u200b mind \u200dthat the present conservative majority includes Justices personally opposed to \u200cthe death penalty,\u201d he told The Epoch Times in an email.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey may suppress their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/if-roe-is-overturned-bishops-can-no-longer-let-catholic-democrats-off-the-hook\/\" title=\"If Roe Is Overturned, Bishops Can No Longer Let Catholic Democrats Off The Hook\">personal opposition<\/a> on separation of powers \u200cor state rights grounds,\u200b but would they overcome it to reject precedent with which they morally \u200bconcur? I think not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According\u200b to the American\u200d Bar Association, Justice\u2063 Amy \u2063Coney Barrett stated personal opposition to capital punishment related to her Catholic faith \u2063early in her career but has voted to allow executions during her time on the Seventh Circuit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn spite of her\u200c earlier \u200dwriting \u200don the \u200dsubject, it is therefore likely that, if \u200cappointed, Judge Barrett will vote \u2063on\u2064 capital cases in \u2064alignment with the Court\u2019s conservative majority,\u201d the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/groups\/committees\/death_penalty_representation\/publications\/project_blog\/amy-coney-barrett-and-the-death-penalty\/#:~:text=In%20response%20to%20the%20issues,a%20trial%20judge%2C%20but%20she\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ABA\u2063 wrote<\/a> before Ms. Barrett\u2019s\u2062 ascension to the High Court in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. DeSantis <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flgov.com\/2023\/04\/20\/governor-desantis-signs-bill-to-ensure-justice-in-capital-cases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">previously signed<\/a> a bill allowing death penalty sentencing \u200dwithout unanimous jury agreement\u2014as long as eight out \u2062of 12 jurors are in favor.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b governor pushed for this change in response to the jury verdict in the Parkland shooting \u200dcase.<\/p>\n<p>Nikolas Cruz, who shot and killed\u2062 17 people while injuring 17\u200d others, received\u2064 life imprisonment without the possibility of parole\u200d after a jury initially agreed unanimously that Cruz was eligible for capital punishment.<\/p>\n<p>The law expanding capital\u2064 punishment for child rapists was one of three criminal justice bills signed by Mr. DeSantis\u200d on May\u2062 1.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/Session\/Bill\/2023\/1627\/BillText\/er\/PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HB 1627<\/a> requires the Supreme Court to \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/florida-bill-extending-death-penalty-to-child-rapists-goes-into-effect\/\" title=\"Florida's new law expands death penalty to child rapists.\">create statewide uniform bail bond schedules<\/a>, prevents certain arrestees from \u200dbeing released until their first court \u200dappearance, and redefines \u201cdangerous crimes\u201d to include stalking and DUI manslaughter.\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">Mr. DeSantis\u2064 also signed\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flsenate.gov\/Session\/Bill\/2023\/1359\/BillText\/er\/PDF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HB 1359<\/a>, which targets fentanyl \u200dand other drug manufacturers creating illicit \u2063drugs that look like children\u2019s\u200d candy.<\/div>\n<p>Those who traffic such substances will face a minimum 25-year\u200d sentence and a $1 million penalty with the possibility of a life sentence.<\/p>\n<p>The law also charges anyone possessing,\u2063 selling, or manufacturing fentanyl \u2063(and other controlled substances) that resembles candy \u200cwith a\u200b first-degree \u2063felony.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What \u200care the potential \u200dchallenges and objections to implementing the law, based \u200con <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-6-biggest-lies-youve-been-told-about-the-texas-abortion-law\/\" title=\"The 6 Biggest Lies You\u2019ve Been Told About The Texas Abortion Law\">previous court rulings<\/a><\/h2>\n<p><span>  A New \u2063Law in Florida Allows Death Penalty for Child\u200c Rapists<\/p>\n<p>On October 1, \u2063a new law went into effect in Florida, allowing the death penalty for certain child rapists. The bill, known\u2063 as HB \u200b1297, enables pedophiles convicted of sexual battery of a child under the \u200cage of 12 to be eligible for capital punishment or life imprisonment. Furthermore, the law establishes court proceedings and frameworks for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation received bipartisan support in both chambers, with the state\u200c House voting 95-14 and the Senate voting 34-5. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also expressed his support for the new law, stating that anyone who harms children in such a horrific way should never walk \u200cfree.<\/p>\n<p>However, the \u2064implementation of this law is likely to face judicial\u2064 challenges. In a landmark case, Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008), the \u200bSupreme Court ruled that applying the death \u2064penalty to child rapists is prohibited by the Eighth Amendment\u2019s limitation on execution \u200cfor crimes that did not \u2062result \u2064in the victim&#8217;s death or were not intended to kill the \u200bvictim. Similarly, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in Buford v. State of Florida (Fla. 1981) that a sentence of death is excessively cruel and unusual punishment for sexual assault.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these rulings, the Florida Legislature aims to challenge these statutes and allow\u200c for capital punishment in cases that \u200c&#8221;destroy the innocence of a young child and violate all standards of decency held by civilized\u200b society,&#8221; according\u2062 to the bill.<\/p>\n<p>Governor DeSantis has openly criticized\u200b the Supreme Court&#8217;s 2008\u200b ruling, arguing that it disregards the heinous nature of child sexual abuse. He believes that the current iteration of the Supreme Court could potentially overturn this\u200c precedent.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new law in Florida, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, came into effect on Oct. 1. The law (HB 1297) expands the death penalty to child rapists who target children under 12. Pedophiles convicted of sexual battery can now face capital punishment or life imprisonment. The law also sets up court procedures and guidelines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2377,"featured_media":2059421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2059420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2059420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2377"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2059420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2059420\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2059421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2059420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2059420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2059420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}