On Monday, Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill that would make the death penalty an option in some child sex abuse cases.
House Bill 1454 would allow prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in various child sexual assault cases — including instances in which the victim is younger than 4, if the offender was in a position of authority or trust, if the offender is a registered sex offender, and in cases of incest. The pending bill can be read in full below.
WRCB reported that the Tennessee General Assembly passed the House Bill 1454, meaning it is now up to Governor Bill Lee whether he will sign it into law.
Tennessee Representative Greg Martin, who sponsored the bill, said it builds on previous legislation that Governor Lee put into effect last year.
“What this bill does is it gives some direction for district attorneys, for prosecutors, to know how to deal with this when it comes to the rape of a child—to deal with the aggravated circumstances,” Martin explained.
However, opponents and critics of the bill said the United States Supreme Court has already barred the death penalty in cases where the victim did not die. Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp noted that they were prevented from using a similar 2024 statute to pursue the death penalty against Stephen Rapaport, who pleaded guilty in January to various child sex crimes. WTVC reported that Rappaport was filmed raping a child.
“A situation where parents might have to sentence another child or a niece or nephew or a brother to death… that’s what creates an under reporting on child sex crimes,” Senate Democratic Caucus Press Secretary Brandon Puttbreese pointed out to the news station, referring to a possible issue with the bill.
If signed, House Bill 1454 will take effect on July 1.
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[Feature Photo: AP Photo/George Walker IV]
