Blunt, GOP ask high court to allow death penalty for child rape

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gov. Matt Blunt and Republican lawmakers want the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a Louisiana law allowing executions for child rapists.

At issue before the court in the appeal of a Louisiana man is whether a 1977 ruling bars the death penalty in cases where the victim survives.

In Missouri, several bills have been filed to allow capital punishment for raping children, but none have been debated by the full House or Senate.

In their brief, the Missouri politicians say they have questions about whether Michael Devlin should have been eligible for the death penalty.

Police last year found two kidnapped boys in Devlin's apartment.

Blunt and the lawmakers say they can't debate other options if the Louisiana law is tossed.