Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday that will allow convicted pedophiles to be given the death penalty, a move that has angered Democrats.
Lawmakers passed HB1297 last month, paving the way for child rapists to be executed without jury unanimity.
It means that the approval of only 8 jurors out of 12 would be needed to go ahead with a sentence of capital punishment for those who rape children in Florida.
Summit.news reports: On signing the legislation, which goes into effect on October 1st, DeSantis noted “We think that in the worst of the worst cases, the only appropriate punishment is the ultimate punishment.”
The full speech is below:
A previous 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawed capital punishment in child sexual battery cases.
DeSantis said he believed the the Supreme Court’s decision was “wrong.”
The governor also signed two other bills Monday, one to make those who sell fentanyl resembling candy to children eligible for life in prison, and another to ban suspects arrested for dangerous crimes from being granted pretrial release without monetary bail at their first court hearings.
“If you’re messing with children, you’re going to have the book thrown at you 100%,” DeSantis declared.
He added, “We’re excited to be able to deliver these victories. We’re gonna have a lot more that we’re gonna be announcing over the next few weeks.”
“We’re really delivering a big agenda,” he continued, adding “So this is one important — but admittedly very small part — of an overall large agenda and very bold agenda that’s really setting the terms of the debate for the country, quite frankly.”