I can see the tempers flaring on this one... I don't think it warrants the death penalty, as heinous as it may be

Yes and I would gladly be the one to pull the switch, jab his arm ect. I would, however, much prefer a middle eastern punishment! Public stoning or similar.

The death penalty is pretty severe. I would have to know more details before I could vote for death. They are the scum of the earth....

I would rather a person like this stay in jail. Can you imagine how many times he would get raped?

i didn't realize the death penalty was an available punishment for rape. It's a heinous crime without a doubt. While I have no objection to the death penalty per se, the uneven use of it bothers me considerably. Although the Supreme Court's purpose is to examine the law, and not the circumstances, I'd be concerned about the following: - was the defendant represented by a public defender or a private attorney? Poor people who cannot afford a defense are much more likely to receive the death penalty. This is the main reason I'd be opposed to this defendant receiving the death penalty. - if this defendant is put to death for rape, does that mean all rapists should be executed? - does Louisiana law explicitly or implicitly include rape as a death penalty crime? The Supreme Court has to determine whether the death sentence is constitutional, according to the laws of the state of Louisiana and whether the Louisiana law itself is constitutional. Remember, state law governs where no federal law exists. I am opposed to the death penalty as it is curently enforced in the US because rich people aren't executed - just the poor slobs who can't afford to defend themselves. That means we aren't equal under the law, and that's just plain wrong and unacceptable. So my reasons for saying the death penalty isn't warranted in this case have nothing to do with the nature of the crime itself. However, I do consider that the perpetrators of ANY violent crime should expect to be punished in kind.

Absolutely not. The 'death penalty' is just state-sponsored murder (and murder is the worst crime possible, IMO) "Murder with paperwork", as I say. He should definitely be severely punished; don't get me wrong... But the death penalty is, in my view, an infinite punishment, since I believe this life to be the only one we ever have. It is infinitely severe, and thus infinitely unjust except when it is the punishment of an infinite crime (which rape isn't). I think he should rot in a jail cell, not be murdered by the state and it's populace.

I vote for castration w/o pain pills

I'm a supporter of the death penalty, but in most instances I think it's better for the person to be in prison. If someone raped an 8 year old girl, I think spending many years in prison would be worse than ending his life and not having to be punished for years. It seems that the death penalty would be an easy way out for the man in this case. In prison, other prisoners regularly punish the ones who have abused children themselves, so I think that would be the best way to go!