Florida has enacted a controversial change to its criminal code that allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty for adults convicted of sexually battering children under the age of 12, even in cases where the child did not die. The law reflects a broader push by state lawmakers to impose harsher punishments on the most heinous crimes against minors.
Under Florida Statute § 921.1425, a person 18 or older who commits sexual battery on a child under 12 may face either life imprisonment or the death penalty if certain aggravating factors are proven at sentencing. The new provision requires a jury to unanimously find multiple aggravating factors before imposing a capital sentence. Continue reading…
Under Florida Statute § 921.1425, a person 18 or older who commits sexual battery on a child under 12 may face either life imprisonment or the death penalty if certain aggravating factors are proven at sentencing. The new provision requires a jury to unanimously find multiple aggravating factors before imposing a capital sentence. Continue reading…
