1. HaroldSowards
CJ 322, Tu/Th 9:30
8/29/15
Kennedy v. Louisiana
554 U.S. 407 (2008)
1. Facts
PatrickKennedywasconvictedof aggravatedrape of his8 yr. oldstepdaughterL.H.
underLouisianaStatute Ann.14.42 (West1997 & Supp.1998) whichauthorizedcapital
punishmentforrape toanyone under12
On March 2, 1998 Patrickreportsthe rape of hisdaughterL.H.
PediatricForensicMedicine expertcallsitthe mostsevere assaultinhis4yrs.
Claimedshe wasrapedby2 neighborhoodboys,howevertheyarrestedPatrickafter8
daysfor the rape
L.H. isremovedfromhermother’scustodya monthlater
21 monthslater,she accountsher rape via videotape withChildAdvocacyCenter
Patrickis chargedfor the rape
Trial beginsAugust2003
Juryfoundhimguiltyof aggravatedassaultandunanimouslydecidedforthe death
penalty
The LouisianaSupreme Courtaffirmsthisdecisionandcertiorari wasgranted
2. Issue
Is there evidence of anational consensuswithrespecttothe deathpenaltyforchildrapists?
Doesthe 8th
amendmentpermitimpositionof the deathpenalty?
Is ittrue that everypersonwhoisconvictedof capital murderandsentencedtodeathmore
morallydeprivedthaneverychildrapist? (Dissentquestion)
3. Holdings
Yes
No,reversed/remanded
No
4. Reasoning
Regardingthe national consensus,theyusedstatisticstofindthat36 statesplusthe Federal
Gov, have a deathpenalty.Onlysix of these authorizedthe deathpenaltyforrape of a child.In
45 of these jurisdictions,Kennedycouldn’tbe executedforchildrape of anykind.
However,theyreversedthe deathsentence becauseitsaidthe 8th
amendmentdidn’tallowthe
deathpenaltyinthiscase,because he didnottake any life whenhe rapedhisstepdaughter,he
only ruinedherchildhoodandtherefore doesn’tdeserve todie.
