A new Florida law that took effect on Sunday will allow judges to impose the death penalty on those convicted of raping a child age 12 or under.
The legislation, H.B. 1297, was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in May. During a signing event on May 1, DeSantis said the purpose of the bill is “for the protection of children,” according to a report from the Pensacola News Journal.
“Unfortunately, in our society, we have very heinous sex crimes that are committed against children under the age of 12 years old,” DeSantis said at the event. “These are really the worst of the worst. The perpetrators of these crimes are often serial offenders.”
Reportedly, H.B. 1297 allows a jury by a vote of at least 8-4 to recommend the death penalty the convicted rapist. Three Democrats and two Republicans voted against the measure in the state Senate.
This week, on X, formerly known as Twitter, DeSantis said that “anyone who harms children in such a horrific way will never walk free.”
Florida’s law allowing the death penalty for child rapists is now in effect.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 3, 2023
The minimum sentence is life in prison without parole. In Florida, anyone who harms children in such a horrific way will never walk free.
DeSantis pointed out that law enforcement arrested a man in Texas after a minor was gang rape by illegal immigrants.
“In Florida, this heinous crime now carries a possible death sentence,” DeSantis wrote. “We must protect the innocence of children and the feds must secure our border.”
Authorities arrested a Texas man after an 11-year-old girl was gang raped in a home with nearly a dozen illegal aliens. In Florida, this heinous crime now carries a possible death sentence.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 3, 2023
We must protect the innocence of children and the feds must secure our border. https://t.co/XYUUfRcyZu
State Sen. Rosalind Osgood, a Democrat, told CBS Miami that the bill presented her with a “quandary.”
"I love kids, and I'll do anything to protect them," Osgood said. "But I struggle from a faith perspective. If I believe in my faith that God can redeem and save anybody, then how do I support someone getting the death penalty? And I'm just talking about me. That's my struggle. That's my challenge."