On March 26, the Maryland House of Delegates approved a bill requiring specific evidence of guilt if the death penalty is sought. The same bill was passed earlier by the Senate, and the governor supports the legislation. Calling it a “step forward,” Gov. O’Malley indicated he will sign the bill, limiting capital cases to those with biological or DNA evidence of guilt, a videotaped confession, or a videotape linking the defendant to a homicide. The restrictions derived from an amendment during the Senate’s consideration of a bill to abolish the death penalty. The current bill is designed to lessen the possibility of executing an innocent person. Maryland has executed five prisoners since reinstating the death penalty in 1978 and has five other inmates on death row.
(J. Wagner, “Md. Lawmakers Approve Tighter Death Penalty Rules,” Washington Post, March 26, 2009). See Innocence and Recent Legislative Activity. In other states, New Mexico recently abolished the death penalty, while bills to repeal capital punishment are still being considered after passing in one house in Montana and New Hampshire. A bill to abolish the federal death penalty was introduced by Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.
