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House passes bill to make certain child sex offenses eligible for death penalty; debate centers on constitutionality and scope
Summary
House Bill 49, as substituted, passed the House and would permit prosecutors to seek the death penalty for certain sexual crimes against children under 12. Supporters cited the severity of the crimes and a trend of other states; opponents cited Supreme Court precedent and moral concerns.
The Alabama House approved House Bill 49, as substituted, on Feb. 11. The measure would change potential punishments so that if a person commits the offenses described in the bill against a child under the age of 12, the prosecution could pursue capital punishment. The committee substitute advanced the age threshold from under 6 to under 12.
Sponsor Representative Jeremy Simpson said the change reflects the gravity of the crimes and mirrored recent actions in other states. He told the House the committee substitute moved the covered age from 6…
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