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http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/3023333/detail.html
House Approves Surgical Castration For Sex Offenders
Senate To Consider Amended Measure Next; Governor Remains Slilent
POSTED: 1:12 pm CDT April 20, 2004
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Surgical castration could be ordered for certain sex offenders under an amendment approved Tuesday by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
No state in the nation now requires surgical castration. A similar proposal was vetoed two years ago by then-Gov. Frank Keating, who called it reckless legislation that could violate constitutional protections against crue
and unusual punishment.
Current Gov. Brad Henry has not made any public statements on the proposal.
The amendment, adopted on a 68-29 vote, would allow for the castration of offenders who co
mmi
first- or second-degree rape or forcible sodom
y. Inmates already convicted of those crimes could volunteer for the procedure.
Rep. Randall Erwin, the author of the amendment, said the proposal would require at least two prior convictions for sex crimes with aggravating circumstances and the support of DNA evidence.
"It goes through all of these hoops to make sure this person is a habitual predator and has all the appeals and hearings ... before it would happen," said Erwin, D-Nashoba.
"I feel like it's got all the safeguards in it."
Rep. Abe Deutschendorf argued that surgical castration will not stop violent rapists from committing sex crimes.
"Rape is not about sex as much as it is about power and violence," said Deutschendorf, D-
Lawton. "This will not solve the problem."
Other members argued that castration would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
"If you talk to any victim of this
cri
me,
what
's happ
ened to them is cruel and unusual punishment," Erwin said. "If it deters just one, I think it's worth it
."
The original bill - Senate Bill 1413 by Rep. Jim Newport - expanded the definition of forcible sodomy to include consensual sex between an employee of a school district over the age of 18 and a student age 21 or younger.
Rep. Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, offered a series of amendments to raise the legal age of sexual consent from 16 to 18. Piatt said adults younger than 25 would not be charged under his proposal.
"If someone is in college dating a 17-year-old, that's not who we're going after," Piatt said. "We're talking about adults who are preying on our children."
Another amendment by Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, was
added to make it a crime to display sexually explicit images in a moving vehicle.
After adopting the amendments, the title was restored on the bill, which pass on a fi
nal 88-1
0 vote.
The mea
sure now heads to t
he Senate for consideration of House amendments. If approved, the bill would head to the governor's desk.
http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/3023333/detail.html
House Approves Surgical Castration For Sex Offenders
Senate To Consider Amended Measure Next; Governor Remains Slilent
POSTED: 1:12 pm CDT April 20, 2004
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Surgical castration could be ordered for certain sex offenders under an amendment approved Tuesday by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
No state in the nation now requires surgical castration. A similar proposal was vetoed two years ago by then-Gov. Frank Keating, who called it reckless legislation that could violate constitutional protections against crue
and unusual punishment.
Current Gov. Brad Henry has not made any public statements on the proposal.
The amendment, adopted on a 68-29 vote, would allow for the castration of offenders who co
mmi
first- or second-degree rape or forcible sodom
y. Inmates already convicted of those crimes could volunteer for the procedure.
Rep. Randall Erwin, the author of the amendment, said the proposal would require at least two prior convictions for sex crimes with aggravating circumstances and the support of DNA evidence.
"It goes through all of these hoops to make sure this person is a habitual predator and has all the appeals and hearings ... before it would happen," said Erwin, D-Nashoba.
"I feel like it's got all the safeguards in it."
Rep. Abe Deutschendorf argued that surgical castration will not stop violent rapists from committing sex crimes.
"Rape is not about sex as much as it is about power and violence," said Deutschendorf, D-
Lawton. "This will not solve the problem."
Other members argued that castration would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
"If you talk to any victim of this
cri
me,
what
's happ
ened to them is cruel and unusual punishment," Erwin said. "If it deters just one, I think it's worth it
."
The original bill - Senate Bill 1413 by Rep. Jim Newport - expanded the definition of forcible sodomy to include consensual sex between an employee of a school district over the age of 18 and a student age 21 or younger.
Rep. Greg Piatt, R-Ardmore, offered a series of amendments to raise the legal age of sexual consent from 16 to 18. Piatt said adults younger than 25 would not be charged under his proposal.
"If someone is in college dating a 17-year-old, that's not who we're going after," Piatt said. "We're talking about adults who are preying on our children."
Another amendment by Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman, was
added to make it a crime to display sexually explicit images in a moving vehicle.
After adopting the amendments, the title was restored on the bill, which pass on a fi
nal 88-1
0 vote.
The mea
sure now heads to t
he Senate for consideration of House amendments. If approved, the bill would head to the governor's desk.
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