4t DEATH SENTENCE FOR CHILD RAPISTS: Governor Ron DeSantis Just Signed Florida’s Iron-Fisted Law — Capital Punishment Now Looms for Any Adult Who Sexually Assaults a Child Under 12

The pen hit the paper like a gavel.
October 1, 2023, Tallahassee. Governor Ron DeSantis, sleeves rolled, eyes steel, signed HB 1297 into law with a flourish that echoed through every playground in the Sunshine State. Capital punishment—the death penalty—is now on the table for any adult who sexually assaults a child under 12. No plea deals. No parole. One crime, one consequence: the needle or the chair.
The room erupted. Mothers in the gallery clutched photos of their kids—some survivors, some angels. A bailiff wiped tears with the back of his hand. Outside, church bells in St. Augustine rang 12 times—one for every year of innocence stolen.
The law’s iron spine

Eligibility: Any adult (18+) convicted of sexual battery on a child 11 or younger—no exceptions.
Sentencing: Jury must be unanimous for death. Judge can override only downward—never up.
Appeals: Fast-tracked to Florida Supreme Court within 90 days.
Retroactivity: Applies to crimes after July 1, 2023—no ex post facto games.
Victim fund: $50 million from seized predator assets—therapy, housing, college for survivors.

DeSantis didn’t mince words at the signing:
“If you rape a child in Florida, you forfeit your right to breathe our air. We’re done coddling monsters.”
The case that broke the camel’s back
March 2023, Polk County. 11-year-old Madison Grace abducted from a bus stop, assaulted for 44 hours, left in a ditch. The predator—a registered sex offender with two priors—got life with parole eligibility in 25 years. Madison’s mother, Sarah Grace, stormed the Capitol with a petition signed by 1.2 million Floridians. Her testimony before the House committee? Eight minutes, zero tears—just fury:
“My daughter will never ride a bike again without flashbacks. He gets cable TV. That’s not justice. That’s a subscription.”
The backlash—and the backbone

ACLU: Filed suit 48 hours later—“cruel and unusual.” DeSantis countered: “Cruel is what happens in the dark to a 6-year-old. Unusual? It’s about to be standard.”
Biden DOJ: Threatened to withhold federal funds. Florida’s response? Returned $12 million in “equity grants” with a note: “Keep it. We’ll fund our own gallows.”
Polls: 78% approval—highest for any DeSantis policy. Even Miami Democrats at 61%.

The first monster in the crosshairs
November 4, 2025, Tampa. 42-year-old Luis Morales—caught on Ring camera dragging a 9-year-old into a van. DNA match. Confession on tape. Prosecutors filed death penalty notice within 72 hours. Trial set for March 2026. Morales’ public defender already requested a change of venue—“No fair jury in Florida.” Judge’s reply: “Try the moon.”
The ripple across America

Texas: Governor Abbott fast-tracks identical bill—“Florida lit the fuse. We’re the explosion.”
Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee: Copycat laws in committee.
California: Gavin Newsom vetoed a weaker version—“too extreme.” Florida’s response? Billboard on I-10: “Keep your kids. We’ll keep our justice.”

The mother who started it all
Sarah Grace now tours the state with Madison—scar on her neck, smile on her face. At every stop, she holds up a photo of her daughter’s first bike. “This law doesn’t bring back innocence,” she says. “But it guarantees the monster never steals another.”
Florida’s message is clear:
Cross the line with a child, and the state crosses you off—permanently.
The gallows may be symbolic.
But the promise is lethal.