A Central Florida man has been charged with s*xually abusing children, sparking serious concerns and investigation
On Thursday, prosecutors said they will seek the death sentence for him, using a new law that could make this the first case of its kind in the state. The death sentence was added for s*xual crimes against children.
Joseph Andrew Giampa is charged with s*xually abusing a minor, and the office of State Attorney William Gladson, who is handling the case in five counties northwest of Orlando, has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
Gladson’s office made reference to the “seriousness of the crime and its impact on the community” in a statement.
According to the statement, “The decision to impose the maximum penalty reflects the seriousness of the charges and the State Attorney’s Office’s commitment to holding criminals accountable for their actions,”
It looks like this is the first case in which Florida prosecutors have requested the death penalty for a non-murder charge in modern times.
State attorney says that this heinous crime was committed for financial gain. Just keeps getting worse:
More info: State attorney says that this heinous crime was committed for financial gain. Just keeps getting worse. https://t.co/js30SFMkO1
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) December 15, 2023
Additionally, because US Supreme Court precedent forbids the death penalty for rape, this case may present constitutional issues. Giampa, 36, of Leesburg, was taken into custody in Lake County in November.
According to an arrest affidavit in his case, on November 2, he was questioned at home by Lake County sheriff’s investigators.
According to the affidavit, Giampa brought deputies to the camp during the talk and let them see the video on his laptop. According to the affidavit, the video showed a guy abusing a youngster s*xually while filming the incident.
During a segment of the video, the man went in front of the camera and set it down. Jampa was identified by deputies as the man. The Lake County Jail is where Jampa is being detained.
Gladson’s office listed four aggravating circumstances that justified the death penalty in its notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
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These include the fact that the offense was unusually severe, horrible, or cruel, and that it was done for financial benefit.
The US Supreme Court held in 1977 that the Eighth Amendment’s limitation on cruel and unusual punishment applied to rape cases involving the death penalty.
Kennedy v. Louisiana, decided in 2008, saw the Supreme Court declare that cases of child abuse where the victim does not die should not be allowed to proceed with the death penalty.
Lawmakers in the state approved a plan this spring that would make child s*x a capital felony.
It was stated in the bill’s text that prior high court rulings on this matter “were wrongly decided and that such cases are a gross violation of the powers of states to punish the most serious crimes.”