Child Rape Death Penalty Case Dies
I know that I am once again courting controversy on this topic, but here it goes anyway.
Last week the Supreme Court declined to reconsider its controversial June ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana which sounded the death knell for the death penalty for child rape.
As you might recall, the Court based much of its reasoning on the emerging “national consensus” that the death penalty for rape is wrong. What no one seemed to realize at the time, however, was that Congress passed a law in 2006 specifically allowing the death penalty for child rapists under military law. Once Louisiana discovered this oversight they petitioned the Court for a rare re-hearing.
Last week the court denied that request by a 7-2 vote with Justices Thomas and Alito dissenting. Justice Scalia, joined by Chief Justice Roberts, issued a searing statement and joined the majority only because, as Scalia put it, “the views of the American people on the death penalty for child rape were, to tell the truth, irrelevant to the majority’s opinion in the case.”
Scalia rightfully notes that the relatively recent Congressional law completely undermines the Court’s June decision.
In an act of judicial self-justification, Justice Kennedy wrote that the military death penalty for rape was the rule for more than a century and when the Supreme Court declared in 1977 that the death penalty was unconstitutional for the crime of adult rape, military law was not considered. He also reasoned that military criminal law should not necessarily color the constitutional analysis of a related law in the civilian context.
During the summer, both presidential candidates weighed in on the Court’s decision. Obama stated that the rape of a child “is a heinous crime” for which “the death penalty should be applied, in very narrow circumstances, for [this] most egregious of crimes.” McCain called the ruling an “assault” on the legal system.
Whether you are pro or con, you should be painfully clear about the crime under consideration. Perhaps no case better illustrates the justness of the death penalty for child rape then the recently concluded trial of John Worman, who jury members declared “was like looking at Satan sitting at the table.”
During the trial, the jurors had the painful task of viewing unspeakable images of children as young as 3 months old being held down and raped by Worman. In this case authorities had to sift through more than a million horrific images of children being victimized – many snapped by Worman while he committed anal, oral and vaginal sex on the youngsters ranging from infants to 15 years old during a nine-year period.
Worman’s girlfriend, who ran a daycare which supplied many of the victims, was convicted of 15 counts of producing and possessing pornography. Videos and still photos showed her undressing and then posing naked youngsters on a chair in front of the camera to feed Worman’s predatory appetite.
In one of the videos that included sound, Worman’s girlfriend could be heard ordering a victim to “spread her legs.” A small voice asks “why” as she continues demanding the child do as she is told.
In another video, a childish voice could be heard screaming, “It hurts … it hurts.” And a voice identified as Worman replies: “Almost done. It’ll only take a minute.” At the end of the tape, the child is heard crying. There was also a video that shows children innocently doing homework when Worman comes up demanding sex.
Sadly folks, this case is not an anomaly. People need to wake up. No amount of social work or strengths based philosophy can save Woman and his ilk or the innumerable victims of his savage crimes. Since these evil bastards are now photographing and video taping their heinous deeds, perhaps the Supreme Court should be treated to a screening. This is the same court, after all, which declared obscenity hard to define, but “I know it when I see it.”
Perhaps once they see live action videos of child rape they’ll figure out what to do about it.
In fact, perhaps the Worman tapes should be shown to everyone, then, I assure you and the Court, a national consensus will quickly and surely emerge leaving but one remaining issue: should we hang ’em or use a firing squad?
kto
October 8, 2008 (12:07 pm)
Hopefully this bastard will get what he “deserves” in prison.
I am disgusted by this decision and further disgusted by the fact that the Supreme Court continues to allow images of children in sexual acts/positions/ etc under the guise of freedom of speech. cartoons/digitally altered images that are not “real children” still feed the appetites of these savages and should be banned – there is so little common sense left it makes me want to weep.
additionally anyone who believes that these people can be rehabilitated is delusional
Kate O’Leary
Kinaya Sokoya
October 8, 2008 (12:28 pm)
The death penalty is barbaric. It reduces the law to the level of the monsters it seeks to punish. The death penality only addresses the baser instincts in those who apply it. For the criminal, it lets him/her off of the hook. The criminal described should spend the rest of his life in prison to contemplate the heinous acts he has committed. Death will only bring him relief.
Texas Anon
October 8, 2008 (3:18 pm)
Don’t hang him or use the firing squad. Cut off his arms and legs, hang a sign around his neck saying what he did, and throw him out on a busy streetcorner so people can kick him to death.
Anonymous
October 9, 2008 (2:24 pm)
I agree that under those cases it is of course easy for someone to shout grab your pitch forks and kill the person, but you are forgetting that a child maybe someone under 18 years of age or sexual consent is 16 in some states say a 5 year old and an 18 year old in a relationship decide to have sex, and maybe the 15 year old lied bout their age misguiding the elder of the two the parents find out they are furious and push as many attacks on the elder person in this relationship as possible. Not all cases are as clear cut as the one you have listed, and that’s something people must take into consideration.
Jake
October 10, 2008 (11:14 am)
I guess we will have to agree to disagree on something. I am relieved by this decision. This does not ignore the seriousness of the rape of a child, but neither does it ignore the seriousness of the ultimate punishment, death. Capital punishment seems to me a form of human sacrifice, that can easily be adjusted to be applied to other crimes, and any barrier to that slippery slope reinforces our humanity.
Crystal
October 29, 2008 (12:51 pm)
Obviously the people who say they do not agree this man should be put to death do not have children. If they had children they would be worried about this man escaping from prison or the parole board being bullsh*ted into believing he is reformed and letting him free to go after my child or your child some day. I am not comfortable with this, he commited an unbelievable act on not one but many innocent children for no apparent reason but to satisfy something unexplainable in himself. I believe in an eye for an eye. You can use your imagination what I think should happen to this man!!
James R. Marsh
May 7, 2009 (10:19 am)
Now here’s a little cream for your morning coffee. This comment was prompted by today’s anonymous post in 2007 Pedophile Roundup – the Year in Review and something which has been on my mind for a while. It was inspired by comments on this blog entry and comments by moralists and immoralists responding to Child Rape = Death. and Pedophile Rapists win big at the Supreme Court”. 22 comments in all; 10% of the total comments on this entire blog which has been around since 2003.
Yes, I know that the liberal-minded-ACLU-loving-pedo-apologists get all upset by the mere mention of the death penalty which seems to generate a disproportionate response given the other disturbing content on this blog. And I know (because they have sent me private messages) that people consider me an inhumane, blood thirsty, unforgiving, ignorant barbarian and on and on. Thank you for your emails, cards and letters (although a few gifts from time to time would be nice).
In reality, I do not support the death penalty for juveniles, the mentally retarded, or for most any other crimes or even the biblical crimes like homosexuality and adultery (Governor Spitzer, Barney Frank and countless others can party on without fear).
I guess it’s the reaction that surprises me most (although it’s gratifying that someone is actually reading this blog). Apparently sexual exploitation, pedophile adoption, child rape, human trafficking (sometimes under the guise of the humanitarian/Christian sounding moniker “international adoption) are just big yawns unworthy of comment.
But mention the death penalty and, whoa-baby, you are the threat to civilized humanity. A little child rape, pimping out 11 year old girls, smuggling a few Mexican muchachas here and there; no comment, but the D E A T H P E N A L T Y for criminally convicted child rapists: A MORAL OUTRAGE!!
And I guess I’ve softened a bit because I do acknowledge that there are often problems of proof in these cases (except for the 90% of guys who plead guilty in federal prosecutions). So I’m proposing to meet the Up Up with People crowd half way. Let’s all just agree to reserve the death penalty for the large and growing number of cases in which the pedophile rapists create live-action video, stereo audio and high resolution pictures of their crimes against pre-pubescent children. That eliminates those crying and moaning about sexting, “Romeo and Juliet” liaisons, teenage indiscretion, the unreliability of eyewitness identification and on and on.
Let’s just keep it simple, streamlined and easily provable. Then cut the crap and send ’em right to the chair.
James R. Marsh
September 3, 2009 (8:06 pm)
John Worman was recently sentenced to 120 years in federal prison (without parole) and fined $390,000 for his crimes.
fight4rx
August 23, 2010 (6:25 am)
I am not comfortable with this, he commited an unbelievable act on not one but many innocent children for no apparent reason but to satisfy something unexplainable in himself. I believe in an eye for an eye. You can use your imagination what I think should happen to this man!!
Directory
https://me.yahoo.com/a/rLDMkdgCh9.e8II0a6GPQNygvS8PmD7fFQ--#00b6c
October 30, 2010 (8:12 pm)
I faced same tragic situation in my life & never ever recovered from them 🙁 I only suggest capitol punishment (death penalty) for them!!!!!
Zain
Screen Printing in US
xmetow
June 16, 2011 (6:17 pm)
it’s seems not good to me
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