August 1st, 2013
03:01 AM ET

Rapist custody rights: Most states have them

When an Ohio judge denied a request for Cleveland kidnapping suspect Ariel Castro to visit the 6-year-old girl he fathered with one of the women he kidnapped and raped, the reason seemed pretty clear cut.

"I just think that would be inappropriate," Cuyahoga County Judge Michael Russo said last month.

The idea that Castro - who will be sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to 937 counts - would have any parental rights is hard to believe. But in 31 states, rapists do enjoy the rights of a father.

Ohio currently has no laws that would take away Castro's parental rights for fathering the child with Amanda Berry, who he abducted in 2003 when she was a teenager.

FULL STORY

Filed under: Crime • Justice • U.S.
soundoff (7 Responses)
  1. chrissy

    Well THIS case should motivate Ohio to put a law into action to prevent him from having ANY parental rights! Its in the best interest of this child.

    August 1, 2013 at 8:55 am | Report abuse |
  2. Scottish Mama

    @chrissy – I was wondering why they did not put that in with his plea deal when they had it on the tube.

    August 1, 2013 at 9:09 am | Report abuse |
  3. Scottish Mama

    Thank you Cnn for posting some new fodder.

    August 1, 2013 at 10:24 am | Report abuse |
  4. banasy©

    The idea that a rapist gets any rights as a father is repulsive.

    August 1, 2013 at 1:03 pm | Report abuse |
    • Scottish Mama

      I know I was "what" women are victomized again by having to send a child to see a rap-ist? W–TF

      August 1, 2013 at 1:08 pm | Report abuse |
  5. saywhat

    Agree with comments @chrissy@banasy@Scottish Mama.
    There was yet another case in N.Cal of two men facing trial for keeping a 15 year old girl in a tool box 4x 2 ft and raping her.
    And these are just cases which have surfaced.
    Bradely manning got 136 yrs lets see what Castro gets?

    August 1, 2013 at 2:28 pm | Report abuse |
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