Bill To Surgically Castrate Offenders Gains Momentum

(NewsReady.com) – There’s a history of chemical castration being used on sex offenders in the United States. As of 2019, nine states had chemical castration laws on the books, including Louisiana. Now, the southern state is moving a bill through to allow surgical castration as well.

In May, the Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill to allow surgical castration as punishment for sex offenses against children. State Senator Regina Barrow (D) introduced Senate Bill 371 and it has garnered bipartisan support.

The courts have already sentenced one man to physical castration. In April, 54-year-old Glenn Sullivan Sr. was convicted of second-degree rape and impregnating a 14-year-old girl. His sentence included 50 years in prison, which was basically a life sentence. He will also be castrated.

In 2008, the state passed a chemical castration law. However, that’s reversible. Assistant District Attorney Brad Cascio issued a statement after Sullivan was sentenced to physical castration, saying, “Sex crimes against juveniles are the most malicious crimes we prosecute.” He said he would use every legislative tool available to him, “including physical castration, to seek justice for the children in our community.”

The Senate bill would allow judges to sentence sex offenders who assaulted kids aged 13 or younger to surgical castration. State Rep. Delisha Boyd (D) told WWLTV that surgical castration might seem “excessive,” but so was the rape of kids who were 5, 10, and 12 years old. She explained that if a sex offender refuses to undergo the procedure, they will likely receive a longer sentence.

The legislation indicates that the punishment would only be allowed for offenders older than 17 years old.

There are opponents of the legislation. Bruce Reilly, who is with the group Voice of the Experienced, said there’s already too much brutality in Louisiana. He accused lawmakers of now trying to mutilate people by cutting their testicles off. He asked where they were going to draw the line as far as punishments.