A new Mississippi law allows the death penalty for those convicted of certain child sex crimes.
Senate Bill 2821 went into effect on July 1 after passing overwhelmingly in both chambers of the state legislature and being signed by Gov. Tate Reeves during the 2026 session.
The legislation, authored by Sen. Jeremy England, R-Vancleave, makes it punishable by death when an adult is convicted of sexual battery against a child under age 12.
“If an individual rapes a child 12 or under, we brought back the death penalty for those horrible criminals,” said Rep. Jansen Owen, R-Poplarville, who worked with his Senate counterpart to move the bill across the finish line.
In Mississippi, the death penalty could only be given to those convicted of capital murder, an offense that is classified as the most severe form of homicide, prior to the new law’s implementation.
Owen said the initiative to create a capital sexual battery charge that carries the death penalty stemmed from a White House meeting between state officials and members of President Donald Trump’s administration. During that meeting, Mississippi leaders were encouraged to elevate punishments for child predators.
“That was a huge state-level agenda item for President Trump’s administration,” Owen said. “We talked about it at the White House when we visited last year.”
SB 2821 is currently in effect, meaning those convicted of capital sexual battery can be sentenced to death. Owen is confident that, in cases where the death penalty is not levied, prosecutors will have more power to pursue strong punishments for child predators.
“I’m interested to see that incorporated — how prosecutors and investigators utilize that,” Owen continued. “I think that is a good tool for their belt moving forward, particularly in settlement negotiations, or maybe they just want to move forward with the [death] penalty.”
The new law could be effective for Owen down the road, as he recently announced that he will not pursue another term in the legislature. Instead, he is vying to be the next district attorney for the 15th Circuit Court District.
