What should be an appropriate sentence for rape/murder?

Bretrick

Well-known Member
What do you think would be an appropriate sentence for the above offences?
Imagine the terror of being raped, then murdered. I choke up when trying to put myself in the same position.
Too often the perpetrators are given 20 years, eligible for parole, out in 15?
Personally I think the sentence should be life in prison, with no possibility of parole.
In Australia we have this absurdity where a "Life Sentence" averages 13 years.
Life Sentence should mean, "Never to be released"
Take someone's life, die in prison
 
Rape and murder are both first degree felonies in Pennsylvania. If a person is raped and murdered, more than likely the penalty will be set at death. If the defendant is found guilty of murder, he/she could get death or life w/o parole. Rape depends on the age of the victim. If a child is raped, the penalty would be a max of 40 years. If an adult is raped, the penalty would be as follows:

Rape: Up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines. Rape with Intoxicants: Up to 30 years in prison and $125,000 in fines. Rape of a Child (under age 13): Up to 40 years in prison and $25,000 in fines. Rape of a Child with Serious Bodily Injury: Up to life in prison and $25,000 in fines.
 
Up to life in prison here means 15 years...maximum.. with a 3rd off ...unless the judge deems the crime to be so heinous that it would be impossible to allow the guilty party to be safe in the community. People like Hindley & Brady in the 60's .. who raped and murdered children... or Ian Huntley in 2003.. again.. the rape and murder of children who got a minimum term of 40 years ... but in truth, murders and rapes go through the courts every day here and most of these get less than a life sentence.. and are freed to murder again
 
Rape and murder are both first degree felonies in Pennsylvania. If a person is raped and murdered, more than likely the penalty will be set at death. If the defendant is found guilty of murder, he/she could get death or life w/o parole. Rape depends on the age of the victim. If a child is raped, the penalty would be a max of 40 years. If an adult is raped, the penalty would be as follows:

Rape: Up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 in fines. Rape with Intoxicants: Up to 30 years in prison and $125,000 in fines. Rape of a Child (under age 13): Up to 40 years in prison and $25,000 in fines. Rape of a Child with Serious Bodily Injury: Up to life in prison and $25,000 in fines.
I live in PA and I wasn't aware of the "fines" levied. What's the logic of that?

What's the point of sentencing these murderers to death? They sit on death row for years. The tax payers support them and feed them and like Charles Manson, die in prison. It's a good thing I'm not "judging" these people because they'd be taken from the court room when they were found guilty and either hung or shot immediately like they use to do in England. These people should not live one more day.

Rapists should be put on the chopping block.
 
Fines are levied as part of the punishment, plus also to cover court costs.
Right now, Pennsylvania has a moratorium on putting people to death. The last Governor, Tom Wolf, applied the moratorium and our new Governor has not lifted it.

If you have visited a prison, you already know that being sentenced to 40 years in prison can be worse than death.
 
I believe in an expedited death sentence for that type of crime. If convicted by over whelming evidence there should be no appeal and no sitting on death row for years, convicted and then executed soon after.

If someone is convicted by circumstantial evidence then I can see reasons for the appeal process.
 
I am the wrong person to answer this question. My girlfriend in college was raped after an evening class. She also escaped without much more than a little bruising. In her case she was (haven't seen her a long time) a strong person so for the most part she was emotionally dented, but not broken. I am grateful for that. Proud of my own actions in the aftermath, but I carry a significant sore spot on this subject.

Sadly, I know of other cases and their particulars. It's Easter not going into details. For certain types of crime the perp --would lose recognition under the law as human. It won't happen, but that's how I feel about it.

I also don't think that death is particularly sufficient penalty for violent crimes. To me it's an easy out for them. Not all of them of course, but there is a line and once crossed--that's it. Death is not, by a long shot, the worse thing you can do to someone.
 
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Why should the criminal be allowed to live out his life, even in prison, when the victim is dead? If he lives, then there is always a chance for him to be only to be released back in society to recommit those crimes on others. He gets to go on with his life, even if is behind bars. The victim's family have to go on without their loved one. They only have the memories left of them & the thoughts of how their loved ones lives should have turned out.

Why should the tax payer support a criminal who has no respect for the lives of others? Like some others here, they are no longer a human being & not good enough to be called an animal. Roof over their head, medical & dental & what ever else is deemed fit to give them is too good for them after what they've done.

Death penalty for both crimes.
 
Fines are levied as part of the punishment, plus also to cover court costs.
Right now, Pennsylvania has a moratorium on putting people to death. The last Governor, Tom Wolf, applied the moratorium and our new Governor has not lifted it.

If you have visited a prison, you already know that being sentenced to 40 years in prison can be worse than death.
Not really true ..because the majority of these offenders have already been in prison, they know what it's like they know they are suited to that environment, so prison is no deterrent, it doesn't scare them.. what scares them is the idea they could be killed. The biggest whiner and complainers are murderers who are facing the death penalty... the irony seems to escape them all
 
Why should the criminal be allowed to live out his life, even in prison, when the victim is dead? If he lives, then there is always a chance for him to be only to be released back in society to recommit those crimes on others. He gets to go on with his life, even if is behind bars. The victim's family have to go on without their loved one. They only have the memories left of them & the thoughts of how their loved ones lives should have turned out.

Why should the tax payer support a criminal who has no respect for the lives of others? Like some others here, they are no longer a human being & not good enough to be called an animal. Roof over their head, medical & dental & what ever else is deemed fit to give them is too good for them after what they've done.

Death penalty for both crimes.
Couldn't agree more ! I've been shouting this from the rooftops for decades. if an animal killed a human they would be shot .. and they don't know different..they don't know the laws... in effect they're innocent in that respect. Whereas a human who knows it's wrong to kill and or rape... gets to live for free on the taxpayers dollar... for the rest of their lives..NO...all wrong... shoot them and be done... they're a scourge on society...worse than the aforesaid animals
 
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What would Moses do?
Moses?... perhaps Solomon would have been more use here... cut the b***ds in half...

We think of Middle Eastern countries as having horrendous punishment for some things... but for things like murder and rape.. they don't have Prisons bursting at the seams with their people paying for the long life of a murderer... instead they chop their heads off.. or make them face a firing squad...
 
I’m against the death penalty because innocent people are convicted and once they are executed there’s no way to reverse it. It’s sad enough when innocent people spend decades in prison before dna evidence frees them.

There’s also a difference between murder and manslaughter which is why the penalties are different. I am surprised that murderers get out of prison in 15 years in Britain.
 
Murder....if the evidence is irrefutable...multiple credible witnesses, caught on camera, and the killer even admits to the crime, why should taxpayers have to pay $40k/yr, or more for decades to keep a scumbag fed and housed. Give him a handful of Fentanyl pills and say "bye". Spend that money on honest people living in/near poverty.
 
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