Penalties Intensify for Child Abuse and Murder
None by KCPW
Smart Family Backs Measure
Several proposed bills intensify the penalties for child abuse in Utah, including Internet sexual abuse, domestic battery, kidnapping, and homicide.
“What is the price of the innocence of a child? What is the price of the sanctity of a child? People say you can’t issue the death penalty unless a life is taken. I would submit to you that a life is taken. To this day, those who have been offended as children are still dealing with it as adults. They have taken a life. They have taken innocence, and nothing is more sacred than that.”
Republican Representative Carl Wimmer’s measures make child abuse and murder subject to the death penalty. Ed Smart, father of kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart, supports the effort:
“You’ve seen how hard it is. They repeat…they repeat… You know the TV shows that come on showing predators online. They’re up against some pretty stiff penalties, yet the drive to do something is pretty horrendous. And I think that we need to take steps in our society to try and make those changes.”
Child abuse and murder are already capital felonies in several states. If successful, Utah will be the sixth state to impose the death penalty in some child abuse and murder cases.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom and Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Brian Blair said:
Utah needs a good strong version of Jessica's Law with mandatory 25 year sentences for child molestors and an ankle bracelet for life, and in some cases, execution.There is strong evidence to indicate that the average molester has molested 110 children over a 16 year period even before they are apprehended!
3. Anonymous said:
watdapak
4. mark presher said:
my children have been abused by a stepfather. as part of their heinous crime, they drugged me and marked my face so as to defame me. they have also filed a number of false police reports against me which they have been unable to prove. protect others kids please. helpless in california due to a woman who is fearful for her kids lives
5. carrie said:
when was this published? is it still accurate?
6. anne said:
this info is scary. But what if our children are next? what should we do to help them?
2. Lacee said:
110 kids? There are 500,000 child molesters in the U.S. today. If each of them molested 110 kids, every kid in the U.S.(or at least 70% of them) would have been molested by now. No offense, but are you sure that info. is correct?