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ALBANY---In a continuing effort to protect New York's innocent children from being victims of violent child abusers, the New York State Senate passed and sent to the Assembly "Nixzmary's Law," a bill that would require a sentence of life without parole for parents or guardians who kill a child.
The bill is named after Nixzmary Brown, a seven-year-old Brooklyn girl who was brutally beaten and left for dead last year. Her mother and stepfather were charged with her murder. This legislation would create the crime of aggravated murder of a child and 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.
"Everyone in the State was shocked and horrified by the brutal, tragic death of Nixzmary Brown," Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said. "This bill would close a loophole that allows violent child abusers to escape life without parole when they cause the death of a child. In Nixzmary's case, the murderers could be eligible for parole after serving only 15 years in prison. This bill recognizes that the crimes committed against Nixzmary were so atrocious and depraved that the killers should never be allowed out of prison."
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. 2-27-07
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© 2007 North
Country Gazette
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