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 State Senator Betty Little (R,C,I-Queensbury) is co-sponsoring legislation that would require a sentence of life in prison without parole for parents or guardians who kill a child under the age of 14.
The proposed law is named in honor of Nixzmary Brown, a seven-year-old Brooklyn girl who was brutally beaten and left for dead earlier this month. Her mother and stepfather have been charged with her murder.
"Anyone who murders their own child is a monster and deserves nothing less than life in prison," said Little. "However, under existing law Nixzmary's murderers could be released from prison after serving only 15 years. It is painfully obvious that the penalty does not reflect the atrocious nature of this crime."
The Senate's "Nixzmary's Law" legislation would create the crime of aggravated murder of a child. The crime would mandate a sentence of life without parole for the parent, guardian or other person in a position of trust, who abuses and tortures a child under the age of 14, causing the death of the child or intentionally causes the death of a child.
Existing law mandates the sentence of life without parole for the death of a child less than 14 years of age only in those cases when a person 18 years of age or more commits the crime while committing a felony sex crime against the child. In all other cases, a person who tortures and abuses a child, causing the child's death, or intentionally causes the death of a child, can be paroled after serving a minimum term, no matter how horrific the crime.
Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn (D-Queens) is sponsoring the bill in the Assembly. 1-26-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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