Proposed bill - 2nd conviction for sex crime against someone

[The Straight Story]

Jessica deserves better law than HB 8
How many more people would be reluctant to turn in a family member or friend if it meant death row?

Texas

We should honor the memory of Jessica Lunsford with more than flawed legislation.

The House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence met last week to hear proposed bills, among them HB 8, Jessica's Law, introduced by Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston.

In 2005, 9-year-old Jessica was raped, kept captive for days and then buried alive. When her body was unearthed, her hands were bound, but she still managed to wiggle one finger free of the plastic that enclosed her. John Evander Couey, her neighbor and a convicted sex offender, later confessed and was convicted of her rape and murder.

Thus began the crusade of Jessica's Law to "fight to change legislation, provide a grassroots awareness and continuous support base and search, locate and help law enforcement apprehend absconder pedophiles." However, the law proposed by Rep. Riddle is a hideous alteration of Jessica's Law as it was meant to be.

The bill introduced by Rep. Riddle has four major propositions. First, it proposes to change the statute of limitations from 10 to 20 years after the 18th birthday, and would make a first sex offense a first-degree felony. Second, HB 8 proposes to deny parole to anyone who commits a sexually violent offense on a victim 13 years or younger. Third, it requires GPS monitoring of civil offenders.

So far, so good, but it is the fourth proposition that strikes wide of the mark: HB 8 proposes to make a second conviction for a sex crime against a person under 14 years a capital felony, resulting in either life imprisonment or the death penalty.

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/03/05/Opinion/Jessica.Deserves.Better.Law.Than.Hb.8-2757277.shtml

[frogcycle]

1. well, it sounds reasonable to me

if ever there was justification for permanently isolating someone from society, a second sexually violent offense against under 14-year-old victim sure does it for me

the debate over lwp vs excution is a separate topic. it's GOTTA be a max-penalty crime.