From WMOT News
(2008-06-26)
OKLAHOMA CITY
(KOSU) -
Proponents of the death penalty for repeat sex offenders who target children say they're disappointed with a Supreme Court decision that bans the practice.In a 5-4 vote on Wednesday in a Louisiana case, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed executions of people convicted of raping a child.
Oklahoma is one of only four other states that had approved the death penalty for certain sex crimes. Oklahoma's law would have allowed the death penalty for anyone convicted two or more times for rape, sodomy or lewd molestation involving a child under 14.
State Sen. Jay Paul Gumm says he's disappointed with the court's ruling. He was a strong supporter of the bill that passed overwhelmingly in 2006 and was signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry.
Gumm says he will carefully examine the court's ruling to see if Oklahoma's law might be rewritten to keep the death penalty for child predators.
But defense attorney Jim Rowan says Tuesday's ruling clearly makes it illegal to execute someone for a crime that does not involve first-degree murder. An opponent of the death penalty, Rowan says Oklahoma is bucking a national trend toward further restricting the use of the death penalty.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) © Copyright 2012, KOSU
