I have never been a big supporter of the death penalty; but over the last several years I have become supportive of one unique situation. There have been multiple stories in Iowa were a minor has been kidnapped, raped and then Killed in Iowa over the last several years. The penalty for this crime is life in prison. This same penalty applies if a minor is simply kidnapped and raped.
I have signed on to a bill, Senate File 239, which would give a predator pause before he/she would kill their victim. This bill would create the death penalty for the predator that also kills his/her victim in a rape and kidnapping situation.
The entire goal of the bill would be to stop a predator from doing the final act of killing the victim. If this one bill would save one life; it’s worth putting into law. I want predators to think about their life being on the line if they go down the path of killing their victim.
The death penalty was abolished in 1965; I think it’s time we bring it back for this heinous circumstance.