New Mississippi law expands death penalty to include inmates on child sexual battery convictions

A new Mississippi law added sexual battery of a child under 12 to the list of crimes eligible for the death penalty. Senate Bill 2821, which took effect July 1, creates the crime of "capital sexual battery" and allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty against defendants 18 or older in qualifying cases involving victims younger than 12. If a defendant is convicted, the jury must unanimously find at least two specific aggravating factors beyond a reasonable doubt before the defendant is eligib