Mississippi Enacts Death Penalty for Child Abuse | Jackson News

Mississippi just enacted a jaw-dropping new law: the death penalty for the most brutal child sexual abuse crimes. Effective July 1, Senate Bill 28-21 targets sexual battery against kids under 12—or attempts causing injury to their sexual organs—with prosecutors required to seek capital punishment and juries needing at least two aggravating factors to convict. If fewer than eight jurors vote for death, the sentence automatically becomes life without parole—and all life sentences under this law are now truly non-parole. The state Supreme Court will automatically review every death sentence. Lawmakers like Senators Jeremy England and Daniel Sparks argue this sends a clear, unambiguous message: such crimes are so horrific they demand the ultimate punishment, and they claim broad bipartisan support for this extreme stance. England insists these cases justify capital punishment, while Sparks calls child abuse under 12 “unacceptable in any civilized society.” This law isn’t just punitive—it’s a political and moral statement, designed to ensure the most heinous offenders face irreversible consequences. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9ea913dc3d9d5ded