Posted on 07/23/2005 8:24:13 AM PDT by AzaleaCity5691
Siegelman calls for tougher sex offender penalties Saturday, July 23, 2005 By NADIA MOHANDESSI Staff Reporter Former Gov. Don Siegelman called for the Alabama Legislature to toughen a sexual offender bill Friday afternoon and include mandatory castration and the death penalty for persons convicted of violent sex crimes against children under 12.
"An ankle bracelet is not going to stay on if a sexual predator wants it off," Siegelman said. "The Legislature has got to get serious about protecting Alabama's children or go home."
Many observers expect Siegelman to announce his intention to run for governor again, though no official announcement has been made.
On Thursday, the House passed a bill that would require mandatory surgical castration of a person convicted of a violent sex crime against a child under 12 and for the convicted sex offender to wear an electronic monitoring device for his or her entire life after release from prison. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Neil Morrison, D-Cullman, awaits action in the Senate.
The Senate has passed a less strict version, which did not include castration and mandated that the sex offender be electronically monitored for 10 years.
"If it was up to me, I'd give them the death penalty on the first offense," Siegelman said Friday. "The attorney general has the Legislature in this special session. This is the perfect vehicle to do this thing right. They need to quit being so namby-pamby and squeamish about castration and put that back in the bill."
He said that he has "been pushing" for tougher sex offender laws since the late 1990s.
Siegelman, a Mobile native who served as lieutenant governor from 1995 until 1999 before moving up a four-year term as governor, did not explain why he had not be able to obtain adequate laws during his tenure in the state's top offices. Siegelman also was the state's attorney general, Alabama's top law enforcement officer, from 1987 until 1991.
During his Friday news conference, however, Siegelman forcefully snapped a 2-foot long pair of red garden shears for effect and said, "It will certainly give them something to think about."
Siegelman suggested the death penalty as an option for a second-time offense.
"We don't owe the Joe Duncans of the world anything except a quick trip to the death penalty," Siegelman said, adding that he would give repeat offenders the option of death by lethal injection or "a big jolt from the big Yellow Mama."
Joseph Edward Duncan III is a 42-year-old convicted sex offender accused of kidnapping two children in Idaho.
A. The actual title of this article, as it appears in the actual newspaper version of the Mobile Register uses the word "castration" in the title
B. This article helps point out why everyone in the Alabama Republican establishment would rather Roy Moore not be Republican nominee
He seems pretty useless, been trying for over 10 years now and getting nowhere.
Well, yeah, but the thing is.
He tried this same thing in 1999, but back then, there was no public outcry for it because well, we didn't have all these nationally publicized stories about it.
I personally think he is using this for political gain for next year, but, the thing is, he has always been credible on issues like this.
I think Bob Riley could beat him again, but I don't think Roy Moore can, and this is why I am supporting Riley's re-election.
Castration and a life of hard labor sounds good to me.
A bullet behind the ear sounds better.
I hope Don Singleterm wins the RAT primary. I think either Riley or Moore could beat him in the general election.
So once kids hit 12 it's open season?!
Moore can't beat Siegelman, Riley can
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