Texas is one step closer to sentencing repeat child molesters to the death penalty, as House Bill 8 continues its rapid sprint into the law books. March 5, the house passed HB 8 from Rep. Debbie “Pit of Hell” Riddle, R-Tomball. Aside from alleviating the possibility of reduced sentences for good behavior and stretching the statute of limitations in molestation cases – measures applauded by victims’ rights groups – the bill also gives prosecutors the option of pursuing the death penalty for sexual assailants who strike children younger than 14 twice or more. The bill looked headed for passage even earlier originally, late last week, but qualms that capital punishment would encourage attackers to kill the witness to their crime – the child victim – slowed it momentarily. Unfortunately, other concerns – that the death penalty option would silence reporting, as most molesters are family members – didn’t weigh on lawmakers’ minds as heavily. The bill now goes on to the Senate and, if successful there, to the governor for approval. Austin Rep. Eddie Rodriguez called HB 8, heavily lauded by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, “gubernatorial electoral politics in action. … Even our notoriously tough Texas prosecutors did not request the death penalty for HB 8.” In an unprecedented move of toughness, House Republican caucus Chairman Frank “the Fetus” Corte said, “Today, Republican members took a strong stand to protect the children of Texas. … By establishing the death penalty as an option for sexual offenders who repeatedly prey on the most vulnerable people in Texas, we have drawn a line in the sand against violent sexual predators.”
Yeah, the all-powerful sex offender lobby’s been driving the agenda forever!
This article appears in March 2 • 2007.