Informer: Carnal knowledge laws based on age gaps
Last Modified: Saturday, May 12, 2012 3:53 PM
By Andrew Perzo / American Press
What is the penalty for an 18-year-old having consensual sex with a 16-year-old?
It’s not a crime for an 18-year-old to have consensual sex with a 16-year-old, so the law contains no penalty for it.
The state’s misdemeanor and felony carnal knowledge statutes can apply to consensual sex among teens, but only under specific circumstances.
The misdemeanor carnal knowledge law applies to anyone 17 or older who has consensual sex with someone between the ages of 13 and 16 if “the difference between the age of the victim and age of the offender is greater than two years, but less than four years.” The penalties include a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
Incidentally, that two years refers to a spacing of 24 months between the birth date of the offender and that of the victim. Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John DeRosier said Friday that the court recently dismissed a case because the age difference didn’t exceed 24 months.
The felony statute applies to repeat misdemeanor carnal knowledge offenders and to those 17 or older who have consensual sex with anyone 13-16 when the age difference is four or more years.
The penalties include a fine of up to $5,000 and as many as 10 years in prison. People convicted under the felony statute must adhere to sex offender registration and notification laws — though courts may set that requirement aside if the victim was 13 and the offender wasn’t more than four years older when the crime was committed.
Because Louisiana allows 16-year-olds to marry with their parents’ permission — and minors under 16 with permission from their parents and a juvenile court judge — both carnal knowledge statutes contain exceptions for married couples.
A final note: The law may not criminalize sex between 18- and 16-year-olds, but it does prohibit sexting — electronic transmission of “indecent visual depictions” — among juveniles younger than 17. The penalties for sexting include a fine of $100-$250 and up to 10 days in jail.
Online: http://legis.la.gov.
Walmart stores sell US-made goods
What happened to Walmart selling American-made products? When they first opened here they were determined that they were going to sell American-made products.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. still sells American-made goods, but it also relies — though no longer as heavily — on more cheaply produced imported products.
Media reports last year noted company CEO Michael Duke’s claim that most of the retailer’s products are made in the United States. But a CNNMoney story by writer Parija Kavilanz noted that fact had more to do with consumer buying habits than corporate policy.
“Wal Mart says 54% of its total sales currently come from groceries and household goods such as detergent and paper towels. And most of those goods are American-made, said Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar,” Kavilanz wrote.
“At the same time, the retail giant’s dependence on foreign-made general goods is shrinking. Just 7% of its sales last year came from clothes, down 1% from the prior year; 12% from electronics, also down 1% from the prior year; and 5% from home-related merchandise. These items generally come from overseas.”
Online: www.walmartstores.com; www.americanmanufacturing.org.
The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098, press 5 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com
Posted By: teenagers parent On: 5/20/2012
Title:
Define CONSENSUAL PLEASE!!!....2 consenting I DO BELIEVE....
These are prehistoric laws and lawmaker for new age kids.....If its a crime for sexting,majority of social media would get a charge.......ONLY IN LOUISIANA,the lowest in school n health scores...
.One word...PRIORITIZE
Get Social With Us!
+Share