Two proposals to apply the death penalty to sex offenders of children under 12 years old have been introduced in the Florida Congress, despite the fact that they go against the doctrine of the US Supreme Court and the Court State Supreme Court, local media highlighted this Thursday. Sen. Jonathan Martin and Rep. Jessica Baker, both Republicans, are sponsors of bills, which will be dealt with in the legislature which will begin on March 7 and before in commissions. martin and baker they argue that child molesters "destroy innocence" and transgress "all levels of decency of a civilized society". Both bills state that a jury could recommend to the judge the death penalty for sexual offenders of children under 12 years of age if eight of its 12 members voted in favour. In case there were less than eight, life imprisonment without the right to parole would be imposed. In Florida, a unanimous jury is needed to impose a death sentence on a convicted person, but voices have risen, including Governor Ron DeSantis, to change the law so that a simple majority is enough. Bills are pending in both houses of Congress in Florida to eliminate the unanimity jury requirement, which is consistent with the doctrine of the US Supreme Court, which does not consider the death penalty punishable by sexual assault of children. The high courts of the United States and Florida ruled against the application of the death penalty to rapists of minors under 12 years of age in two sentences that constitute precedents, according to what the media indicate when reporting on the Martin and Baker projects. On February 23, the first execution was carried out in Florida in almost three and a half years. The executed was Donald Dillbeck, who in his 59 years had been convicted of two first-degree murders, the first committed with a firearm in 1979 when he was a minor and another with stabbings in 1990. The Catholic bishops of Florida asked for clemency for Dillbeck to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a supporter of capital punishment who has vowed to explore ways for it to be extended to child molesters. Former President Donald Trump has also called for capital punishment for drug traffickers.
