Fed Up!, by Rick Perry: on Crime
Anthony Kennedy:
Death penalty for rape is cruel & unusual punishment
The Supreme Court case of "Kennedy v. Louisiana" involved a sentence of death for a man convicted of rape. The Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, ruled the law unconstitutional, citing the prohibition in the Eighth
Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. Now, considering that the Supreme Court in 1972 halted the death penalty despite the fact that the Constitution actually includes in its very text a provision for "capital crimes", only to allow it again a
few years later, one might begin to question whether the Constitution had anything at all to do with their reasoning. In his infinite wisdom, Justice Kennedy wrote, "In most cases justice is not better served by terminating the life of the perpetrator
rather than confining him and preserving the possibility that he and the system will find ways to allow him to understand the enormity of his offense." Really? What part of that is not making policy?
Source: Fed Up!, by Gov. Rick Perry, p. 99-100
Nov 15, 2010
Rick Perry:
Death penalty for aggravated rape
The people are forced to check their view of what should be an appropriate punishment with the Supreme Court case of "Kennedy v. Louisiana", which involved a sentence of death for a man convicted of rape. This case demonstrates just how out of touch with
America the Court truly is.Patrick Kennedy was sentenced to death not just for rape, but for the rape of his 8-year-old stepdaughter. The little girl suffered massive trauma to her genital area. The injuries were so severe that she required emergency
invasive surgery to attempt to repair the damage.
Kennedy refused a plea deal that would have taken the death penalty off the table. He was then convicted under a 1995 statute that provided for the death penalty for anyone convicted of raping a child
under 12.
A jury of his peers sentenced him to death, and Kennedy appealed to the Supreme Court. Texas supported Louisiana. The Court ruled the law unconstitutional, citing the prohibition in the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment.
Source: Fed Up!, by Gov. Rick Perry, p. 99-100
Nov 15, 2010
Rick Perry:
States know best on punishment; federalism is arrogance
The states know best how they wish to punish criminals and for what crimes. Are we perfect? No. In Texas, we have been working diligently to advance the use if DNA and to make sure we have as many safeguards as are prudent to ensure the integrity of that
system. But our system works very well, and for Washington to step in and tell us whether it is right to execute a heinous criminal--or tell us how to carry out justice--is the height of arrogance and disregards federalism at its most basic level.
Source: Fed Up!, by Gov. Rick Perry, p.101-102
Nov 15, 2010
Page last updated: Aug 18, 2011