DA: Rape may be alleged in Calif. girl's slaying

Submitted by anthony on Mon, 2009-04-13 23:36

Story here. Excerpt:

'SAN FRANCISCO — Prosecutors said Monday they may include rape and molestation allegations in their murder charge against the woman suspected of killing an 8-year-old Northern California girl and putting her body in a suitcase.

Melissa Huckaby, a 28-year-old Sunday school teacher, was arrested Friday on suspicion of kidnapping and murdering Sandra Cantu.

Formal charges have not yet been filed, but San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Robert Himmelblau told The Associated Press that a murder charge against Huckaby could include the special circumstances of rape with a foreign object, lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and murder in the course of a kidnapping.

A conviction on any of the special circumstances would make Huckaby eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without parole, Himmelblau said. The district attorney's office has not determined whether it will seek the death penalty, he said.'

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Comments

"...rape with a foreign object..."?

How effin' sick is that?

Jesus!

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Submitted by Belgorod on Tue, 2009-04-14 22:29

Speaking of sickness, what if Melissa Huckaby (assuming that it is determined that she committed the murder) ends up getting some lenient sentence based on a finding of mental illness? In other words, she gets the predictable preferential treatment because of her sex. The idea is that she is the victim of mental illness and needs treatment rather than incarceration. This (or some variation) is what I'm afraid might happen. The media will do its part to help make it happen.

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Submitted by gregory on Wed, 2009-04-15 02:33

It's very likely that she could get a light sentence because she was "mentally ill". Bill O'Reilly was saying yesterday how she has got to be mentally ill and there needs to be an evaluation of her mental state. It's the standard response when women do something bad.

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Submitted by Broadsword on Wed, 2009-04-15 11:29

"It's very likely that she could get a light sentence because she was 'mentally ill'."

Exactly...I was struck by O'Reilly's comment about how the woman suspect must have a mental problem and that (paraphrasing) we need to find out what it is. This is the predictable attitude that leads to light sentences for women who murder their children and their partners -- the female offender is the victim of mental illness, abuse or some other force and needs therapy, not imprisonment. And my bet is that Melissa Huckaby, being female, will receive lenient treatment compared to what a man would get in a similar situation.

Interestingly, O'Reilly comes down hard on women (mostly teachers) who commit statutory rape of underage male students. But when it comes to women who murder children, he is rather mild in his reaction. Unlike his rage directed at men who sexually molest children-- they should be put away forever.

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Submitted by gregory on Wed, 2009-04-15 12:59