Death Penalty Abolition in Maryland: UPDATE 2

The Maryland Senate this morning voted for a “compromise” on the bill formerly known as the repeal bill.  In this compromise legislation, the death penalty would be restricted to cases where there is either biological or DNA evidence or some type of video evidence (either a video-taped confession or video of the crime itself).  Death sentences could not be obtained solely on the basis of eye-witness testimony.  Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Frosh, who supports repeal, endorsed this legislation, saying that it would “move the ball forward in the right direction.” 

These restrictions, of course, don’t apply retroactively, and Maryland may one day end up executing one or more of the five men currently on Maryland’s death row. 

The compromise bill also doesn’t address the costs of the death penalty, and it certainly doesn’t address the conclusion of the Commission on Capital Punishment report that the death penalty process is more harmful for victims’ families than alternatives.  The Commission reached this conclusion by a near-unanimous 20-1 vote

So, Maryland’s death penalty will remain on the books, and Marylanders will continue paying for it financially, and victims’ families will continue to have to endure a process that all sides have agreed is more painful.

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10 thoughts on “Death Penalty Abolition in Maryland: UPDATE 2

  1. So what now? I guess the future is extremely hopeless for us all, and support for the death penalty will continue to grow and spread through more lies, more crimes, more hate, more vengeance and more death for us all, guilty and innocent alike, until we come to their belief that God is a truly vengeful God instead of a merciful, loving God that we know, a God who won't spare us all from death and instead will send us all to hell! I feel like it's the end of the world as we know it, and yet I don't feel fine at all! 😥 😥 😥 😥 😥

  2. So what now? I guess the future is extremely hopeless for us all, and support for the death penalty will continue to grow and spread through more lies, more crimes, more hate, more vengeance and more death for us all, guilty and innocent alike, until we come to their belief that God is a truly vengeful God instead of a merciful, loving God that we know, a God who won’t spare us all from death and instead will send us all to hell! I feel like it’s the end of the world as we know it, and yet I don’t feel fine at all! 😥 😥 😥 😥 😥

  3. Lawmakers here in Connecticut is considering two bills that deal with the death penalty, with one of them to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole.
    http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2009/03/0

    Of course, William Petit and others still insist that that the death penalty (including executing the Petit family killers) "deters crimes, brings justice and peace and closure to murder victims' families, and honors murder victims"; that life in prison without parole is "not justice" and that if the death penalty is abolished, "financial excuses would replace common sense and Connecticut would die." This is such, utter nonsense, and they never realize that the death penalty is too costly, among other flaws including the risk that innocent people will be executed. This makes me feel sad for them, and yet I pray for the entire state and its citizens and death row inmates (even though Connecticut is a vengeful state). 🙁

  4. Lawmakers here in Connecticut is considering two bills that deal with the death penalty, with one of them to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole.
    http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2009/03/0

    Of course, William Petit and others still insist that that the death penalty (including executing the Petit family killers) "deters crimes, brings justice and peace and closure to murder victims' families, and honors murder victims"; that life in prison without parole is "not justice" and that if the death penalty is abolished, "financial excuses would replace common sense and Connecticut would die." This is such, utter nonsense, and they never realize that the death penalty is too costly, among other flaws including the risk that innocent people will be executed. This makes me feel sad for them, and yet I pray for the entire state and its citizens and death row inmates (even though Connecticut is a vengeful state). 🙁

  5. Lawmakers here in Connecticut is considering two bills that deal with the death penalty, with one of them to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole.
    http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2009/03/0

    Of course, William Petit and others still insist that that the death penalty (including executing the Petit family killers) "deters crimes, brings justice and peace and closure to murder victims' families, and honors murder victims"; that life in prison without parole is "not justice" and that if the death penalty is abolished, "financial excuses would replace common sense and Connecticut would die." This is such, utter nonsense, and they never realize that the death penalty is too costly, among other flaws including the risk that innocent people will be executed. This makes me feel sad for them, and yet I pray for the entire state and its citizens and death row inmates (even though Connecticut is a vengeful state). 🙁

  6. Lawmakers here in Connecticut is considering two bills that deal with the death penalty, with one of them to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole.

    http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2009/03/05/connecticut/doc49afd9fc49b6f380463371.txt

    Of course, William Petit and others still insist that that the death penalty (including executing the Petit family killers) “deters crimes, brings justice and peace and closure to murder victims’ families, and honors murder victims”; that life in prison without parole is “not justice” and that if the death penalty is abolished, “financial excuses would replace common sense and Connecticut would die.” This is such, utter nonsense, and they never realize that the death penalty is too costly, among other flaws including the risk that innocent people will be executed. This makes me feel sad for them, and yet I pray for the entire state and its citizens and death row inmates (even though Connecticut is a vengeful state). 🙁

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