Governor Blunt Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Against Death Penalty for Child Rapists

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

June 25, 2008

Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290


JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on the United States Supreme Courts ruling against the death penalty for child rapists:

"Protecting our children is of paramount importance to American families, and I have called for, fought for, and signed some of the toughest laws in the nation relating to violent child predators.

"Violent sex crimes against children are among the worst crimes that any criminal could commit. Child predators attack the innocent and defenseless, and the pain they inflict is permanent - in many cases physically and in all cases emotionally. I am extremely disappointed in the Courts decision not to allow the most serious punishment, both as a matter of justice and deterrence to protect our children from vile sexual predators."

Gov. Blunt strongly supported legislation that would have allowed a Missouri prosecutor to seek the death penalty in cases of forcible rape and forcible sodomy when the victim is younger than 12-years old.

Gov. Blunt and 28 members of the Missouri General Assembly filed an amici curiae, or "friends of the court" brief in March, asking the court to clarify previous rulings that the Eighth Amendment does not prohibit the death penalty for child rapists. The brief also argued that the court should not preclude a national debate on this issue and allow states to form a consensus.