California: Slaying likely to spark legislation, experts say

Mercury News ^ | 7/20/02 | Brandon Bailey

[NormsRevenge]

If experience is any guide, Marc Klaas predicted Friday, the slaying of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion has all but guaranteed that California will soon adopt a proposal for a statewide alert system to quickly broadcast information about child abductions.

Klaas has reason to know. The kidnapping and murder of his 12-year-old daughter, Polly, by a violent career criminal in 1993 drove California legislators to enact -- in just three months -- a strict ``three strikes'' sentencing law that has had a lasting impact on the state's criminal justice system.

[GailA]

So much crime is covered up by counting gimicks. So much is swept under the rug by plea bargaining. UNTIL we get real justice for crime victims we will not make much progress. Look for new paper tiger legislation to come out of Samatha's killing, just as it did out of Polly Klass' killing. Feel good legislation will not keep our children safe. A sex offender registry helps, but it is only a first step. The Death Penalty needs to be expanded to include child rapist.

Stop using the term child molestation, call it what it is CHILD RAPE. That is how liberals make it seem like a more harmless crime.