May 3 IOWA: Death penalty squabbles continue to divide Senate A partisan fight over the death penalty threatened Monday to sidetrack a bipartisan effort in the Iowa Senate to toughen other criminal sanctions aimed at sex offenders. Although they disagree on capital punishment, Democrats and Republicans do agree on other penalties, including a life term for some sex offenders who strike a second time. Both sides also support doubling the prison term to 10 years for the crime lascivious acts with a child. Senators planned to add those measures and to a sex offender bill approved earlier in the House, House File 619. But Sen. Larry McKibben, R-Marshalltown, the Senate's leading death penalty proponent, said he is willing to shelve those plans if Democrats continue to block a death penalty debate. "We certainly need to send 619, at a minimum, down to the governor," McKibben said. "Then we'll continue work on the other issues this summer and fall. "I guarantee the political pressure will build on a lot of different fronts during the summer," McKibben said. But other Republicans disagreed. Sen. Chuck Larson, R-Cedar Rapids, argued that tougher prison terms should be approved regardless of whether the Senate remains deadlocked on the death penalty. "We're going to send it back (to the House) and we're going to send it back with everything," said Larson. "This legislation must pass in order to prevent future tragedies. I'm not going to wait a whole year to make these changes." Democrats charged that death penalty supporters are trying to preserve a political issue at the expense of needed policy. "I think Iowans see this being played for political advantage," said Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque. "I think there's a boomerang effect on that one. I think that comes back to knock you out." House File 619 focuses on treating and tracking sex offenders. It would deny early release for sex offenders who refuse to undergo treatment in prison and would pave the way for offenders to be tracked using electronic monitoring bracelets. The Senate amendment would hike the prison term for lascivious acts with a child from five years to 10 years. Offenders convicted a second time of that crime or sexual abuse would be sentenced to a life sentence without parole. Senate changes also include lifetime supervision for sexual predators. Both the House and Senate would seek to improve the state's sex offender registry. McKibben argued that the House would not have time to consider the Senate's changes as lawmakers try to wrap up the 2005 session. House Speaker Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, disagreed. "If they send me a sex offender bill, we'll debate it no matter what they put in it," Rants said. Lawmakers are taking action in the wake of the kidnapping, murder and rape of a 10-year-old Cedar Rapids girl, Jetseta Gage. A second attempt to bring up the House bill for a Senate debate failed Monday. Leaders said they haven't given up. "We're going to fight for the best bill we can get," said Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs. (source: Globe Gazette) CALIFORNIA: Jury debates death sentence In Norwalk, a prosecutor told jurors Monday that death is the appropriate sentence for a man convicted of murdering a family of four, while the defense attorney urged a life term for a defendant who "functions like a 10-year-old." The Norwalk Superior Court jury, which began its deliberations Monday afternoon, is being asked to recommend whether Alfonso Ignacio Morales should be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The 26-year-old man was found guilty April 19 of fatally stabbing 3 of his neighbors, then sexually assaulting and drowning the 8-year-old daughter of 2 of the victims. "The defendant murdered three generations of a family in their own home,' Deputy District Attorney Alva Lin told the 8-woman, 4-man panel in her closing argument. "He went into that home in cold blood to kill." On a large screen, the prosecutor showed jurors photos of the victims and said the mitigating circumstances "pale in comparison' to the aggravating factors against Morales. Lin said, "There's only one appropriate punishment in this case, and that is death." One of Morales' attorneys, Jerry Weil, countered that "life without parole isn't letting him off," and said the jury's decision to convict his client means that Morales will spend the rest of his life behind bars. While telling jurors that "there's nothing that excuses this crime," the lawyer urged the panelists to consider Morales' youth with a dysfunctional family and a learning disability that makes it difficult for him to process information. The panel convicted Morales of the July 2002 slayings of Miguel "Mike" Ruiz, 37; Ruiz's live-in girlfriend, Maritza Trejo, 41; their daughter, Jasmine Ruiz; and Miguel Ruiz's grandmother, 79-year-old Ana Martinez. (soure: Long Beach Press-Telegram)
