Technology
RJ May left a dark spot in SC politics as lawmakers weigh harsher penalties for child predators
He added that this would only be a first step. If lawmakers could pass a capital punishment for child sex offenders bill, Pace said he would look to expand it to anyone who commits rape or sexual assault.
The bill is similar to an approach Attorney General Alan Wilson recently expressed interest in: capital punishment for child rapists.
Wilson, who is also making a bid for governor, stated in a press release Sept. 29 that he’s joined 20 other state Attorneys General to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in Kennedy vs. Louisiana, which barred states from imposing the death penalty on child rapists when the child did not die.
“For too long, child predators have been shielded from the full weight of justice,” Wilson wrote.
Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, said if the court reverses Kennedy, he would support exploring such a law. But he warned that harsh, reactionary legislation could actually impede on the justice process.
“Even when we're talking about something as revolting as these kinds of crimes, we need to be thoughtful about how we do it in a way that's constitutionally sound,” Caskey, who is a former prosecutor, said.
Caskey said a lot of the state statutes against criminal sexual violence are pretty strong, but because May and the Gosnell cases brought the issue into the spotlight, people may question whether penalties should be stiffer.
May was prosecuted on the federal level, Caskey added, something state lawmakers don’t have the ability to change.
Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, said making harsher penalties doesn’t stop the crimes. There is capital punishment for murder, but that hasn't stopped the act, he said.
“What we need is money for counseling,” Rutherford said. “We need money to deal with people that fall into that category prior to them doing something illegal.”
Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington, said many people don’t realize how tough existing laws already are.
He added that this would only be a first step. If lawmakers could pass a capital punishment for child sex offenders bill, Pace said he would look to expand it to anyone who commits rape or sexual assault.
The bill is similar to an approach Attorney General Alan Wilson recently expressed interest in: capital punishment for child rapists.
Wilson, who is also making a bid for governor, stated in a press release Sept. 29 that he’s joined 20 other state Attorneys General to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 decision in Kennedy vs. Louisiana, which barred states from imposing the death penalty on child rapists when the child did not die.
“For too long, child predators have been shielded from the full weight of justice,” Wilson wrote.
Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, said if the court reverses Kennedy, he would support exploring such a law. But he warned that harsh, reactionary legislation could actually impede on the justice process.
“Even when we're talking about something as revolting as these kinds of crimes, we need to be thoughtful about how we do it in a way that's constitutionally sound,” Caskey, who is a former prosecutor, said.
Caskey said a lot of the state statutes against criminal sexual violence are pretty strong, but because May and the Gosnell cases brought the issue into the spotlight, people may question whether penalties should be stiffer.
May was prosecuted on the federal level, Caskey added, something state lawmakers don’t have the ability to change.
Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Columbia, said making harsher penalties doesn’t stop the crimes. There is capital punishment for murder, but that hasn't stopped the act, he said.
“What we need is money for counseling,” Rutherford said. “We need money to deal with people that fall into that category prior to them doing something illegal.”
Rep. Chris Wooten, R-Lexington, said many people don’t realize how tough existing laws already are.
