Louisiana Pushes for Death Penalty in Child Rape Cases
BATON ROUGE, LA (KPEL) —Louisiana's Attorney General, Liz Murrill, is pushing to reinstate the death penalty for Child Rape.
Murril is one of 20 attorneys general across the country who want to see the Supreme Court reverse a decision made back in 2008, where the death penalty doesn't apply if the victim doesn't die during the crime.
A formal letter addressed to the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House General Counsel argues that the ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana doesn't punish or deter individuals involved in these heinous crimes adequately.
It's clear what Attorney General Murrill's stance is: "As I've stated many times before, child rapists deserve the death penalty. The United States Supreme Court needs to reverse this egregiously wrong ruling,” she said in a statement released by the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
If the ruling is revised, states will be allowed to impose the death penalty for non-homicidal crimes against children.
Kennedy v. Louisiana
In 2008, when the ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana was passed, it stated that the death penalty would violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment if the victim survives.
However, as Murrill and 20 other attorneys general point out, this ruling ignores the years of trauma and suffering that follow the victims long after the crime is committed.
Since the 2008 ruling, some states have passed new laws that do enforce the death penalty in cases where the victim lives.
What's Next?
At this time, an official legal case has not been filed, but the letter serves as a formal petition for reconsideration.
This is a developing story, and the KPEL News Team is working to provide additional coverage for Acadiana. Updates will be shared as they become available, so download the KPEL News app via Google Play or in the App Store and subscribe to breaking news alerts to get the latest information sent directly to your mobile device.
You can also use the KPEL app to submit a news tip, share a traffic update, or chat directly with our on-air team.
Be sure to bookmark our latest site, wearelafayette.net, where we provide more local news coverage as well as lifestyle and community features.
To report errors, omissions, or other concerns regarding the content above, send emails to news@kpel965.com.
6 Car Issues That Will Get You Pulled Over in Louisiana
Gallery Credit: Joe Cunningham
