Presidential Candidates Agree To Disagree With Court Ruling In Child Rape Cases

June 26, 2008 7:10 a.m. EST

Washington, DC (AHN) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has disagreed with the Supreme Court's decision to outlaw executions of people charged with raping children. He said that for such a heinous crime, the states should have the discretion to award the death penalty.

Obama addressed a press conference on Wednesday where he said,"I have said repeatedly that I think that the death penalty should be applied in very narrow circumstances for the most egregious of crimes. I think that the rape of a small child, 6 or 8 years old, is a heinous crime and if a state makes a decision that under narrow, limited, well-defined circumstances the death penalty is at least potentially applicable, that that does not violate our Constitution."

The Supreme Court on Wednesday had struck down a Louisiana law that permitted capital punishment for people who raped children below the age of 12. The Supreme Court said the law violated the Constitution which banned cruel and unusual punishment.

Obama's political rival, John McCain also criticized the decision saying that it was disturbing to know that there is a judge in America who does not believe that someone who commits such a heinous crime should merit the most serious punishment of the land.

In his statement McCain said,"As a father I believe there is no more sacred responsibility in American society than that of protecting the innocence of our children. I have spent over twenty-five years in Congress fighting for stronger criminal sentences for those who exploit and harm our children. Today's Supreme Court ruling is an assault on law enforcement's efforts to punish these heinous felons for the most despicable crime."