New Hampshire State Representative Renny Cushing (pictured), whose father and brother-in-law were murdered, is one of many members of the state’s legislature who supports repeal of the death penalty. “Everyone is moving away from the death penalty. It’s clear New Hampshire isn’t in love with the death penalty. We haven’t executed anyone since 1939,” Cushing said. New Hampshire’s only death row inmate currently has an appeal before the state Supreme Court. A death penalty abolition bill passed the New Hampshire House in 2009, but was vetoed by the Governor. Governor-elect Maggie Hassan said she opposed expanding the death penalty and is expected to sign a repeal bill if it passes the legislature. Past efforts to end the death penalty in New Hampshire have crossed party lines. Republican Rep. Steve Vaillancourt sponsored a repeal bill in 2000 and has taken preliminary measures to abolish the death penalty this year. “New Hampshire’s a really strong libertarian state. There is a strong element in the state that doesn’t trust the government to collect taxes and plow roads,” Cushing said. “And it certainly doesn’t want to give the government the power to kill people.”
(J. Cote, “Death penalty opponents hopeful new crop of lawmakers will support abolishing law,” Nashua Telegraph, November 15, 2012). See Recent Legislative Activity and Victims.
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