NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — A proposed bill authorizing the death penalty as punishment for the rape of a child has cleared its first hurdle in Tennessee.
The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee passed the legislation Tuesday.
Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, proposed bill HB1663 stating if an adult, anyone over the age of 18, rapes a child under the age of 12, the jury has the option of imposing the death penalty.
“I don’t take this bill lightly, this is something that came from, frankly, years of analysis and conversation with folks in my community. We’re going to protect our children in the state of Tennessee. If someone rapes one of our children, they are forfeiting their own life. Period. End of story.” – Rep. Lamberth
However, not everyone voted in favor of the proposed legislation. Rep. Gloria Johnson, D – Knoxville, questioned whether Lamberth asked victims how they felt about the bill. Lamberth stated he received a mixed reaction as to what punishment victims believe is suitable.
Johnson says victims she has spoken to are concerned some people will not report in family situations in fear of a relative being put to death.
“The concern in the victims I’ve talked to come to when much of the time, with this particular crime, it’s familial, and if there is a young child who was raped by an uncle say, the uncle is going to say ‘don’t tell, because I’ll be killed, I’ll get the death penalty’ and then you’ll have the mother of the child, who is the sister of the perp, who maybe won’t want to testify against her brother if it means the death penalty.” – Rep. Johnson
Johnson says advocates tell her they’re also concerned about it revictimizing the victim every time an appeal comes up, as they would have to tell the story again.
Despite Johnson’s concerns, Lamberth believes the threat this legislation would pose to potential perpetrators could help save children.
“The chilling effect this will have is that again, let the message go out far and wide, if you rape a child in the state of Tennessee, you will die, and if it saves even one child from going through that, because the fear of that gets into the head of some monster out there that’s even thinking about this, then it’s worth saving that child.” – Rep. Lamberth
The bill ultimately passed and will now go to the full House Criminal Justice Committee.
