In light of the court relying on the false assumption that a federal statute permitting the death penalty for child rape did not exist, the Washington Post has today published an editorial calling upon the court to re-hear the case.  A number of legal bloggers and others have been discussing how a federal statute in the Uniform Code of Military Justice does permit the death penalty for members of the armed forces for the crime of raping a child.  The opinion of the court relied upon the assumption that such a federal statute did not exist, and that child rape was punishable by death in only six states.

Supreme Slip-up -- Washington Post (editorial)