Capital Punishment Will Be Used for Idaho Child Sexual Abusers

Idaho continues to make news for its tough-on-crime approach to handling criminals. The state recently passed a new law making the firing squad a means of executing convicted murders in the Gem State. The state has struggled to perform an execution by lethal injection, failing to execute a convicted killer.

 Governor Little expanded his signing of House Bill 380 last week, allowing the death penalty for pedophiles charged with aggravated lewd conduct with children 12 and younger and strengthening punishments for other convicted pedophiles. 

“Just like capital murder destroys lives, aggravated sexual abuse of a young child devastates victims and families for generations. The sexual abuse of children is sickening and evil, and perpetrators convicted of these crimes deserve the ultimate punishment. Idaho also just became the ONLY state to make death by firing squad the primary method of execution. I commend my partners in the Legislature for strengthening Idaho’s already powerful ‘tough on crime’ reputation among the states,” Governor Little said.

A similar bill sponsored by Conservative Republican Bruce Skaug failed to pass the Legislature last year. Idaho law enforcement has raised concerns about increased child and human trafficking in the Gem State.

Idaho is the only state that has the death penalty for child sex abusers. The Idaho Capital Sun shared other details of the bill.

'The bill also would add mandatory minimum prison sentences for cases of aggravated lewd conduct with minors that don’t meet the bill’s proposed criteria for death penalty eligibility. The new crime would only apply to abuse of children aged 16 and below.' 

We'll continue to update you on this story as it develops.