Maryland Governor O’Malley signed leg­is­la­tion cre­at­ing a com­mis­sion to study the death penal­ty on May 13. The Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment is man­dat­ed to reflect on all sides of the issue and its mem­bers will include rep­re­sen­ta­tives from law enforce­ment, a pros­e­cu­tor, a pub­lic defend­er, and fam­i­ly mem­bers of mur­der vic­tims. The com­mis­sion begins its work in July and should sub­mit its find­ings by December 15, 2008.

The fol­low­ing rep­re­sen­ta­tives will serve on the commission:

  • Two mem­bers of the Senate, appoint­ed by the President of the Senate
  • Two mem­bers of the House, appoint­ed by the Speaker of the House
  • The Attorney General or his designee
  • One for­mer mem­ber of the Judiciary, appoint­ed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals
  • The Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services or his designee
  • The State Public Defender or her designee
  • A State’s Attorney who has pros­e­cut­ed a death penal­ty case des­ig­nat­ed by the President of Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association
  • A rep­re­sen­ta­tive of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association
  • A rep­re­sen­ta­tive of the Maryland State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police
  • A cor­rec­tion­al offi­cer in a state prison
  • A for­mer state pris­on­er who has been exon­er­at­ed of the crime of which he or she was convicted
  • Three rep­re­sen­ta­tives of religious communities
  • Six rep­re­sen­ta­tives of the gen­er­al pub­lic, includ­ing at least three fam­i­ly mem­bers of a murder victim.

The mem­bers of the com­mis­sion have not yet been announced.
(L. Smitherman, ​“O’Malley Signs Safety, BRAC Bills,” Baltimore Sun, May 14, 2008; see also Newsletter, Maryland Citizens Against State Executions, www​.mdcase​.org, May 12, 2008). See Recent Legislation.

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