Trump demands death penalty for DC murderers



President Donald Trump continues to crack down on crime, this time calling for capital punishment.

During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, Trump said he would be seeking the death penalty for anyone who was found guilty of murder in Washington, D.C. Trump acknowledged the severity of this proposal but said it was a "preventative" measure to significantly improve the safety and quality of life for residents in the nation's capital.

'We have no choice.'

"If somebody kills somebody in the capital — Washington, D.C. — we're going to be seeking the death penalty," Trump said.

"It's a very strong preventative, and everybody that's heard it agrees with it," Trump added.

RELATED: Trump makes a bold push for global competitors to abandon nukes: 'The power is too great'

President Trump: "If anybody murders somebody in Washington, DC, we're going to be seeking the death penalty. We have no choice." pic.twitter.com/2FSPQG7II8
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 26, 2025

"I don't know if we're ready for it in this country, but we have no choice," Trump said. "So in D.C., in Washington, states are going to have to make their own decision, but if somebody kills somebody ... it's the death penalty."

Trump's call to action comes just two weeks after the administration federalized the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed the National Guard. Before Trump took matters into his own hands, D.C. had the fourth-highest homicide rate in the country, with 27.3 murders for every 100,000 residents in 2024, which is nearly six times higher than New York City.

After Trump took bold action to secure the city, D.C. managed to go nearly two weeks without a homicide.

RELATED: President Trump's DC crime crackdown is getting results

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

During the Cabinet meeting, Trump addressed NTD News' White House correspondent, Iris Tao, who recounted her own experience with violent crime in D.C.

Over two years ago, Tao said she was robbed at gunpoint and pistol-whipped by a young man in a ski mask in broad daylight, which she said "deeply traumatized" her and her family.

"I'm very grateful to God ... but also to Mr. President," Tao said. "Thank you for now making D.C. safer ... on behalf of my parents and now my baby on the way."

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DOJ To Seek Death Penalty Against Accused Jewish Museum Murderer Elias Rodriguez: Report

The Department of Justice will pursue the death penalty against Elias Rodriguez, who is accused of murdering Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside a Jewish history museum in Washington, D.C., according to a report.

The post DOJ To Seek Death Penalty Against Accused Jewish Museum Murderer Elias Rodriguez: Report appeared first on .

'Deal with the devil': Killer Bryan Kohberger spared death penalty by taking plea deal. Family of one victim explodes.



Bryan Kohberger — arrested for the gruesome murders of four University of Idaho students — avoided the death penalty by accepting a controversial plea deal Wednesday that angered a victim's family.

Kohberger, 30, is accused of murdering 21-year-old Kaylee Goncalves, 21-year-old Madison Mogen, 20-year-old Ethan Chapin, and 20-year-old Xana Kernodle on Nov. 13, 2022, at an off-campus house in the city of Moscow.

Judge Hippler asked Kohberger, 'Did you on Nov. 13, 2022, enter the residence at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, with the intent to commit the felony crime of murder?' 'Yes,' Kohberger answered.

Investigators believe Kohberger stabbed the students to death with a Ka-Bar-style hunting knife, which reportedly has never been found. But investigators reportedly discovered a knife sheath near Mogen's body at the crime scene, which allegedly had Kohberger's DNA on it.

Kohberger was arrested at his parents' home in Chestnuthill Township, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 30, 2022.

Kohberger was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary in connection with the killings of the college housemates.

However, Kohberger walked away from death row after agreeing to a plea deal Wednesday.

Judge Steven Hippler began the hearing in Boise by addressing the controversy regarding Kohberger being spared the death penalty by agreeing to a plea deal.

Hippler noted that he had "no inkling" of a possible plea deal until Monday and was preparing for the case to go to trial.

Kohberger’s quadruple-murder trial was scheduled to begin next month, beginning with jury selection on Aug. 4 and opening statements on Aug. 18, USA Today reported.

"Once I learned of the defendant’s decision to change his plea in this case, it was important that I take the plea as soon as possible," the judge said.

Judge Hippler tackled the sensitive topic of Kohberger making a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, which has enraged at least one of the victims' families.

"This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to do that," Hippler explained, according to the Associated Press.

“Court is not supposed to, and this court will never, take into account public sentiment in making an opinion regarding its judicial decisions in cases," Hippler declared. "I always will make decisions based on where the facts and the law lead me, period."

Loved ones of the murder victims cried as Judge Hippler read the names of the slain college students, the AP said.

Judge Hippler asked Kohberger, "Did you on Nov. 13, 2022, enter the residence at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, with the intent to commit the felony crime of murder?”

“Yes,” Kohberger answered.

An unemotional Kohberger calmly confessed to killing the four college students before pleading guilty.

Judge Hippler said Kohberger will be sentenced at 9 a.m. July 23.

In 2023, a judge entered a not-guilty plea on Kohberger's behalf after the suspect stood silent when asked to provide a plea.

RELATED: Court docs say DNA of Idaho murder suspect found on knife sheath. College roommate frozen in shock coming face-to-face with killer. Expert profiler believes Bryan Kohberger is an incel.

Prosecutors notified the victims' families of the plea in a letter, according to ABC News.

“This resolution is our sincere attempt to seek justice for your family,” prosecutors wrote in the letter. “This agreement ensures that the defendant will be convicted, will spend the rest of his life in prison, and will not be able to put you and the other families through the uncertainty of decades of post-conviction appeals.”

Prosecutors added, "Your viewpoints weighed heavily in our decision-making process, and we hope that you may come to appreciate why we believe this resolution is in the best interest of justice."

Steve Goncalves — the father of Kaylee Goncalves — said his family had "never even considered" a plea agreement.

"It was described to me as, like, due diligence," Goncalves told ABC News in a separate story. "We're going to, like, look at this option, see if it could fit."

The distraught dad added, "At the least, justice starts with an interview of the families to ask them what justice is. And we didn't get that."

RELATED: Chilling details revealed in Idaho college murders case — including frantic texts from roommates and new DNA evidence

Photo by August Frank-Pool/Getty Images

The Goncalves family blasted the plea deal and the local prosecutor's office.

"The death penalty is merely an illusion in the criminal justice system," the family said in a statement released Tuesday. "When available, it serves as a bargaining tool for the state, and when rarely applied, it’s never enforced due to a highly inefficient appellate process. The notion that someone can plead guilty to a crime and still face years of appellate delays reveals a systemic failure."

The family continued, "The Latah County Prosecutor’s Office’s treatment of our family during this process is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone."

The family claimed that the prosecutor's office "branded" them as "adversaries."

"Four wonderful young people lost their lives, yet the victims’ families were treated as opponents from the outset," the family stated.

They added that the prosecutor's office "mishandled" the plea deal and argued that it was rushed.

The statement concluded, "Our family is frustrated right now, and that will subside, and we will come together as always and deal with the reality that we face moving forward. Once again, we thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers!"

Just hours before the hearing, the Goncalves family also slammed Moscow Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson for making a "deal with the devil."

"Right here, right now, we dig our heels into the earth and carve a line deep in the dirt," the family said in a statement on Facebook. "This ain’t justice, no judge presided, no jury weighed the truth. Thompson robbed us of our day in court. No negotiations, no jury of our peers, not even the pretense of cooperation and fairness."

The statement continued, "Cowardly men, gutless men, they scatter like roaches when the battle closes in. And Thompson? He’s retiring on this deal, his shadow slithering toward the exit, leaving only the stench of his betrayal. No spine, no shred of honor. He didn’t have the basic decency, the plain human courage, to face the families, to meet our eyes and ask, 'How do we make an offer that works?' Instead, Thompson cut his deal with the devil, his negotiations didn’t require anything other than a simple guilty plea."

The family accused Thompson of failing to "shield the innocent."

The father of Xana Kernodle also opposed the deal, the New York Times reported.

However, some of the families of the victims have been supportive of the plea deal to end this chapter of their nightmare.

Madison Mogen's family said they support the plea agreement “100%,” according to NBC News.

The family's attorney read a prepared statement outside the courthouse after the hearing, "We lost our Maddie, our kind, loving, vivacious, and caring daughter, full of purpose and promise. We are grateful for the gift of her life, and we have grieved the loss of that life during each of these 962 days."

Stacy Chapin, the mother of Ethan Chapin, supported the plea agreement, according to KGET-TV.

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Alleged manifesto of murder suspect Luigi Mangione highlights lessons learned from Unabomber: Court docs



Police caught up with Luigi Mangione, 27, at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days after he allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last December. In addition to allegedly finding a 9mm handgun, a homemade silencer, multiple cartridges, a fake New Jersey ID, a passport, approximately $7,800 in cash, and a written admission of guilt on his person, police reportedly found a notebook detailing plans for the shooting.

Mangione's defense attorney asked the court overseeing the case to rule the notebook inadmissible, claiming the search of Mangione's backpack where it was located violated his Fourth Amendment rights. The defense also asked the court to dismiss his indictment altogether.

Prosecutors responded with a damning court filing on Wednesday containing entries from Mangione's alleged notebook, which they claim reveals "in unambiguous terms [the] defendant's intent and motive in deliberately assassinating the CEO of the country's largest health company."

'Yet another indirect victim of the long-term lunacy of Ted Kaczynski.'

In an Aug. 15, 2024, entry, Mangione allegedly wrote, "I finally feel confident about what I will do. The details are coming together. And I don't feel any doubt about whether it's right/justified. I'm glad — in a way — that I've procrastinated bc it allowed me to learn more about UHC. KMD [the initials of another apparent target considered] would've been an unjustified catastrophe that would be perceived mostly as sick, but more importantly unhelpful."

Prosecutors indicated that Mangione traveled to New York the first week of December 2024 to attend UHC's investor conference, where Thompson was scheduled to speak. Thompson was, however, shot outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan hours prior to his presentation.

The entries shared in the court documents indicate that the author initially contemplated killing many more people, possibly by way of bombing; however, he decided against it, citing lessons learned from Theodore "Ted" Kaczynski, a domestic terrorist who targeted businessmen, scholars, and random civilians with homemade bombs from 1978 to 1995, injuring 23 victims and ultimately killing three people.

James R. Fitzgerald, a retired supervisory special agent with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit best known for his role in the Unabomber investigation, told Blaze News, "It seems Brian Thompson, after his December '24 execution-style murder by an unhinged, misguided, and misinformed young zealot, is yet another indirect victim of the long-term lunacy of Ted Kaczynski, aka the Unabomber."

RELATED: Dear Uncle Ted

Mugshot of domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski. Photo by Bureau of Prisons/Getty Image

On Oct. 22, 2024, Mangione allegedly praised Kaczynski, the so-called Unabomber, but noted what he apparently got wrong.

"The problem with most revolutionary acts is that the message is lost on normies," says the entry. "For example, Ted K makes some good points on the future of humanity, but to make his point he indiscriminately mailbombs innocents. Normies categorize him as an insane serial killer, focus on the act/atrocities themselves, and dismiss his ideas."

'There's an implied sense of superiority in how he critiques Kaczynski’s failure to communicate his message.'

The Unabomber condemned all forms of technology and advocated for cultural primitivism in his 35,000-word manifesto titled "Industrial Society and Its Future," which he submitted to the Washington Post for publication. Whereas Mangione appears to enjoy standing in the spotlight, Kaczynski was a recluse who evidently preferred to remain planted in his remote Montana cabin.

"Most importantly — by committing indiscriminate atrocities — he becomes a monster, which makes his ideas those of a monster, no matter how true," continued the entry in the notebook attributed to Mangione. "He crosses the line from revolutionary anarchist to terrorist — the worst thing a person can be."

Dr. Kimberly Przeszlowski, assistant professor of criminal justice at Quinnipiac University, told Blaze News, "Mangione's reference to 'normies' misunderstanding Kaczynski as merely an insane serial killer reveals more than just admiration — it signals a detachment from mainstream society and a belief that he perceives the world more clearly than others."

"There's an implied sense of superiority in how he critiques Kaczynski’s failure to communicate his message, as if he believes he could do it better," continued Przeszlowski. "His alleged decision to avoid using bombings — unlike Kaczynski — seems deliberate, a way to present himself as a more focused and effective messenger."

Given the adoration of Mangione by elements of the American left, it appears he has been somewhat successful in this regard.

RELATED: ‘Saint Luigi’? America’s moral compass couldn’t be more broken

Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images

Przeszlowski suggested that the alleged author of the journal entries does not necessarily regard himself "as someone trying to refine an ideology, but as someone capable of packaging and delivering it in a way that gains broader acceptance or resonates with a larger audience."

Clinical psychologist Franklin Carvajal suggested to Blaze News that Mangione is neither a psychopath nor a serial killer but rather an individual desirous for a "new cultural norm to emerge based on what he sees as his idea of justice."

"When he says 'normies' he means the average person who has been indoctrinated in what he believes is a different cultural framework or perspective," said Carvajal.

The psychologist noted that Mangione shares in common with Kaczynski and Timothy McVeigh the belief that "the end justifies the means."

Przeszlowski suggested that "while their tactics and time periods differ, [Mangione and Kaczynski's] underlying motivations share common threads — anti-modern views, deep distrust of institutions, and the belief that violence can serve as a wake-up call."

Mangione allegedly noted further in the notebook entry, "This is the problem with most militants that rebel against often-real injustices: They commit an atrocity whose horror either outweighs the impact of their message, or whose distance from their message prevents normies from connecting the dots. Consequently, the revolutionary idea becomes associated with extremism, incoherence or evil — an idea that no reasonable member of society could approve of."

The entry hints that the author contemplated bombing insurance companies' headquarters but ultimately determined that "bombs=terrorism" and would read as the "unjustified anger of someone who simply got sick/had bad luck and took their frustration out on the insurance industry."

Rather than engaging in bombing as Kaczynski had, the author of the entry suggested that one should instead "wack [sic] the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention," adding that the message the "greedy bastard ... had it coming" would be abundantly clear.

'These parasites simply had it coming.'

"As I had to constantly remind myself during my time on the UNABOM Task Force in the mid-1990s, while reading and rereading the 'Manifesto' day after day, one's actions greatly supersede one's words in any supposedly 'civilized' society," said Fitzgerald. "That is, in this context, unprovoked violence ultimately weakens one's argument. It certainly doesn't strengthen it. But to the unbalanced, that doesn't wholly register and/or guide them accordingly."

'The Kaczynskis and the Mangiones of the world are poor substitutes for great thinkers or philosophers," added Fitzgerald. "Their homicidal actions in the long run devalue their words — except to the also unhinged, misguided, and misinformed among us."

RELATED: Luigi Mangione-based shows to hit American stage, turning murder suspect into 'accidental folk hero'

Photo by Steven Hirsch - Pool/Getty Images

Prosecutors' Wednesday filing also included the note police reportedly found on Mangione at the time of his arrest, which states, "To the Feds, I’ll keep this short because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly I wasn’t working with anyone. This was fairly trivial, some elementary social engineering, basic [computer-aided design], and a lot of patience."

"I do apologize for any strife or trauma, but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming," continued the note.

Mangione, who faces both New York state and federal charges in the murder of Thompson, has pleaded not guilty to murder as an act of terrorism as well as weapons charges.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has impressed upon federal prosecutors the need to seek the death penalty against Mangione, noting in an April 1 release, "Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America."

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Illegal aliens arrested in fatal jet ski hit-and-run crash that killed teen Air Force recruit; Abbott calls for death penalty



Two illegal immigrants have been arrested in a deadly jet ski hit-and-run crash in Texas over Memorial Day weekend that took the life of a teen Air Force recruit. The governor of Texas has called for the suspect to face the death penalty in the tragic case.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced in a press release on Tuesday that an illegal alien was involved in the jet ski accident that killed the teenage woman.

'Ava Moore’s senseless death was caused by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place.'

"On Sunday, Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez Gonzalez — an illegal alien from Venezuela — struck and killed an 18-year-old woman, Ava Moore, on Lake Grapevine with a jet ski," Paxton stated in the news release.

According to authorities, the 21-year-old Gonzalez was riding a jet ski when she mowed over Moore while she was kayaking on Lake Grapevine.

KDFW-TV obtained the arrest affidavit, which claimed that the jet ski was "traveling at a high rate of speed and dangerously close to other people in the water," according to a summary from the outlet. Witnesses allegedly told investigators that the victim attempted to paddle away from the speeding jet ski before she was violently struck from behind by the speeding personal watercraft.

The news outlet reported that Gonzalez fled the crime scene with fellow illegal alien — 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo. Meanwhile, the female passenger who was on the jet ski with Gonzalez remained at the scene and was interviewed by first responders, according to a statement from the Texas Game Wardens.

The pair drove away in a vehicle, then Perozo committed a hit-and-run after striking another car while attempting to leave the area, the Grapevine Police Department stated.

RELATED: Texas police arrest illegal immigrant in teen cheerleader's murder, mother 'praying for justice' for her slain child

Gonzalez and Perozo — who are both reportedly in the U.S. illegally — were reportedly tracked down by Attorney General Paxton’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and arrested around 11 a.m. on Tuesday at a Dallas-area home. The residence was allegedly surrounded by officers and agents with the Grapevine Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Game Wardens, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homeland Security.

The New York Post reported that Moore suffered severe head trauma after being struck by the jet ski, and later died at a local hospital.

Gonzalez has been charged with second-degree felony manslaughter, and her bond is set at $500,000, according to KDFW.

Texas Game Warden Captain Joseph Quintero stated that Gonzalez could face more charges as the investigation continues.

The Texas Game Wardens are handling the investigation into the jet ski accident fatality, while the Grapevine Police Department is investigating the related automotive hit-and-run incident.

Joshua Johnson — the acting field office director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations in Dallas — confirmed that Gonzalez and Perozo are Venezuelan nationals in the United States illegally, according to MySanAntonio.com.

Johnson noted that both illegal aliens crossed the U.S. southern border in 2023 or 2024. He added that the duo were arrested at the time of illegal entry, processed for a notice to appear in immigration court, and then released.

Johnson also said that Gonzalez and Perozo will have to appear in front of an immigration judge to determine whether they will be deported back to Venezuela.

RELATED: Illegal immigrant charged in brutal rape and murder of Rachel Morin, 10 months after Maryland mother of 5 was murdered

Paxton stated, "Ava Moore’s senseless death was caused by an illegal alien who should have never been in our country in the first place. My heart breaks for Ava’s family and friends, and my prayers are with them as they face this tragedy."

Paxton stressed, "My office will continue to work with local, state, and national law enforcement partners to secure justice for Ava.”

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott shared a news video clip of the jet ski hit-and-run incident on the X social media platform with the caption: "Welcome to Texas. Here’s your Death Penalty."

Moore's family emphasized that "forgiveness" will be paramount in moving forward following the tragedy.

“This is a difficult time for all involved, but also an opportunity for our beautiful girl to continue to impact our community,” Moore's family said in a statement that was shared during a press conference on Wednesday, according to NewsNation.

“Out of this tragedy, God will make good — and that only can be accomplished through forgiveness,” the family added.

According to a GoFundMe campaign launched to financially assist Moore's family with her funeral, the teen graduated from Timber Creek High School in 2024, where she was an "outstanding student and athlete."

As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $35,000.

Moore reportedly had just returned to Texas from Colorado to visit her parents after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School just over a week before the tragic accident.

Moore was purportedly just weeks away from starting basic training before she was killed on Sunday.

Moore’s former basketball coach, Ke’Sha Blanton, said she was "a four-star general in the making."

"Ava was everything this country would want to represent it," Blanton told KRDO-TV.

The U.S. Air Force Academy said in a statement that Moore had "accepted an appointment to join the Academy as a member of the Class of 2029."

Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind said, "We lost an exemplary teammate this weekend — cadet candidate Ava Moore, whose passion for leadership and service left an impact on everyone she met."

"Ava’s constant happiness and attitude helped her squadron get through the challenges of the prep school, and her drive to excel was on display as she sought out leadership positions to improve herself and her team," Bauernfeind continued. "Our team is focused on providing support to Ava’s family, her prep school squadron, the prep school women’s basketball team, and the entire academy family."

You can watch a local newscast from KDFW regarding the jet ski hit-and-run incident here.

RELATED: 'Disgusting': AP torn to shreds for dismissing illegal immigrant murder suspect in Laken Riley killing, blaming toxic masculinity

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Biden tried to spare child-killer from death sentence — but he could get the chair anyway



A convicted killer whose federal death sentence was commuted by President Joe Biden may still face execution after he was indicted at the state level earlier this week.

On April 14, a grand jury in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, indicted Thomas Sanders for the brutal slaying of 12-year-old Lexis Kaye Roberts a decade and a half ago.

What Sanders has already been found guilty of doing is about as about as heinous as it gets.

Over Labor Day weekend in 2010, Sanders and his 31-year-old girlfriend, Suellen Roberts, decided to leave Las Vegas, Nevada, for a three-day vacation near the Grand Canyon. Roberts brought her daughter, Lexis, along with them.

As the trio drove back to Nevada, Sanders suddenly pulled off in a remote area of Arizona along I-40. He then shot and killed Suellen Roberts and kidnapped Lexis.

With Lexis held captive in his vehicle, Sanders then hit the road, traveling for days and more than 1,000 miles until he reached some woods in Catahoula Parish. There, he shot Lexis four times and slit her throat with such force that the knife left marks on her vertebrae, a DOJ statement said.

He left her body in the woods and fled the scene, prompting a nationwide manhunt that lasted a month. Finally, in November 2010, he was spotted at a truck stop in Gulfport, Mississippi, and arrested. He later made a taped confession that he had killed both mother and daughter.

In September 2014, four full years after the incident, a federal jury deliberated for barely an hour before finding Sanders guilty of one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. Within days, the jury sentenced him to death.

'Mr. Biden commuted the federal death sentence imposed on Mr. Sanders to a sentence of life in prison, choosing to spare the life of a convicted child-killer over the victim, Lexis Kaye Roberts.'

A little over a decade later, Biden included Sanders among 37 federal death row inmates whose sentences would be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The last-minute commutations were signed on December 23, 2024, and announced on Christmas Day.

Then-President-elect Donald Trump was in no jolly mood when he received the news.

"To the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden," he posted to Truth Social. "I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky 'souls' but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL!"

Frustrated that the Biden administration thwarted the jury's decision in Sanders' case, Catahoula Parish District Attorney Bradley Burget says he will pursue the death penalty now that a state-level grand jury has indicted Sanders for the first-degree murder of Lexis Roberts.

"In 2010, the state deferred prosecution to the federal authorities, who successfully prosecuted and achieved justice for Lexis," Burget said in a statement.

"Yet Mr. Biden commuted the federal death sentence imposed on Mr. Sanders to a sentence of life in prison, choosing to spare the life of a convicted child-killer over the victim, Lexis Kaye Roberts."

Louisiana is one of just a handful of states in which death row inmates may be executed via electrocution. It also recently added nitrogen hypoxia as another execution method.

For 15 years, Louisiana had suspended all executions, but in February, Gov. Jeff Landry (R) announced that his state would begin carrying out the death penalty once again. On March 18, the state put to death Jessie Hoffman Jr., who raped and murdered 28-year-old Mary "Molly" Elliott on Thanksgiving Day, 1996. Hoffman was 18 years old at the time.

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Child molesters can now be marched in front of firing squads in Idaho



A month after making firing squads the Gem State's primary method of execution, Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) passed a law last week granting judges and juries the ability to sentence convicted pedophiles to the death penalty.

Republican Gov. Brad Little said upon ratifying the legislation making child rape a death penalty offense, "Just like capital murder destroys lives, aggravated sexual abuse of a young child devastates victims and families for generations. The sexual abuse of children is sickening and evil, and perpetrators convicted of these crimes deserve the ultimate punishment."

Idaho House Bill 380, sponsored by Republican state Reps. Bruce Skaug and Josh Tanner, sets a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 25 years, with the possibility of life in prison, for the molestation of a minor ages 13-16 by an adult if two of 14 aggravating factors are present.

Aggravating factors include whether:

  • the victim was kidnapped;
  • the pedophile cause great bodily harm to the victim;
  • the pedophile was engaged in human trafficking;
  • the pedophile was already a registered sex offender;
  • the pedophile was in a position of trust, had a supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim, or at the time of the offense had parental/custodial authority over the child;
  • the victim used coercion; and/or
  • the victim was choked during the commission of the lewd conduct.

Alternatively, an adult pedophile found guilty of engaging in aggravated lewd conduct with a child 12 or under shall now be punished by life in prison or by death if a pair of similar factors are present. The list of aggravating factors in such cases also includes any form of penile penetration as well as repeat incidents involving the same victim.

'Idaho will not tolerate these offenses.'

Idaho previously allowed the death penalty only in first-degree murder cases with aggravating factors.

Prior to its passage, Skaug told his colleagues on the Idaho House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, "Idaho currently has some of the most lenient statutes for child molestation and child rape in the nation," reported the Idaho Capital Sun.

"This legislation establishes a strong deterrent, making it clear Idaho will not tolerate these offenses," added Skaug.

The legislation passed the state House unopposed. In the state Senate, however, three Democrats — Sens. Alison Rabe, Ron Taylor, and Melissa Wintrow — and two Republicans — Sens. Phil Hart and Daniel Foreman — voted against the bill.

Gov. Little noted in a April 1 statement, "I commend my partners in the Legislature for strengthening Idaho's already powerful 'tough on crime' reputation among the state."

The Idaho Capital Sun noted that Idaho lawmakers expect a legal challenge, given that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 2008 5-4 decision that sentencing a pedophile to death for raping a child is unconstitutional in cases where the victim was not killed.

Former Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion, "The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child," and added that "in most cases justice is not better served by terminating the life of the perpetrator rather than confining him and preserving the possibility that he and the system will find ways to allow him to understand the enormity of his offense."

Democratic state lawmakers around the country appear keen to soften penalties for those monsters who prey on children.

Colorado Democrats, for instance, voted in 2023 against a bill making indecent exposure to children a felony and killed another piece of legislation last year that would have mandated minimum sentences for predators who buy children for sexual exploitation.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom ratified legislation in 2020 that enabled judges to go easy on non-straight pedophiles convicted of sex crimes against teenage minors.

'We really believe that part of a just society is to have appropriate punishment.'

Last year, California Democrats, state Sen. Scott Wiener in particular, unsuccessfully fought against Republican legislation that would impose harsher penalties against perverts who pay for sex with children. According to CBS News, Wiener, an LGBT activist, figured the legislation "could target the wrong people by punishing young adults in consensual relationships with minors."

In March, Virginia Democrats killed legislation that would prevent sex offenders from loitering within state parks or places where they could find themselves around children, including near playgrounds, athletic field, day-care centers, or gymnasiums.

It's a different story in red states such as Florida, Tennessee, and Idaho, where pedophiles now run the risk of death by acting on their sick desires.

In 2023, Florida passed a law imposing the death penalty for child rapists.

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis stated, "We really believe that part of a just society is to have appropriate punishment. And so, if you commit a crime that is really, really heinous, you should have the ultimate punishment."

Despite Democratic opposition, Tennessee Republicans successfully advanced House Bill 1663 last year, enabling trial judges and juries to put child rapists six feet under.

The legislation, ratified in May 2024 by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R), mandates either a sentence of death, imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole, or life imprisonment for an adult pedophile convicted of rape of a child ages 8-13. A pedophile convicted of aggravated rape of a child 8 or younger must now necessarily receive the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.

Alabama appears poised to become the next state to add child rape to its list of capital offenses. The state House voted 86-5 in February for a bill that would allow the imposition of the death penalty in cases where an adult convict victimized a child under 12.

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Pam Bondi wants murder suspect Luigi Mangione to face final reckoning



U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the man suspected of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson late last year.

On Tuesday, the DOJ issued a press release characterizing Thompson's murder on the streets of New York City in broad daylight on December 4 as "an act of political violence" that posed a serious risk to the safety of others as well. The suspect in the case, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, "stalked and murdered" the victim, grievous crimes that demand the gravest of penalties.

"Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," Bondi said in a statement. "After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."

Reuters made sure to suggest that some radicals view Mangione as a 'folk hero' who allegedly took out Thompson as some sort of deadly protest against 'steep healthcare costs.'

Mangione faces both New York state and federal charges in the murder of Thompson. The state case has already begun, and Mangione has pled not guilty to murder as an act of terrorism as well as weapons charges.

However, New York does not have the death penalty for state-level charges. So if Mangione is ever going to be given a final reckoning for his alleged crimes, then the feds will have to do it. Mangione has not yet been required to enter a plea in the federal case.

In its reporting on Bondi's statement, Reuters made sure to suggest that some radicals view Mangione as a "folk hero" who allegedly took out Thompson as some sort of deadly protest against "steep healthcare costs."

Mangione's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet.

Bondi's move to request the death penalty in this high-profile case is in keeping with her earlier pledge to mete out capital sentences at the federal level. In recent years, DOJ officials "failed to seek death sentences against child rapists, mass murderers, terrorists, and other criminals," Bondi lamented in a memorandum dated February 5.

Even worse, President Joe Biden even commuted "the death sentences of 37 murderers that Department of Justice prosecutors had tirelessly secured over the past three decades," Bondi continued.

Now in President Donald Trump's second term, the DOJ will once again seek the death penalty "for the most serious, readily provable offenses," she insisted.

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