Publications & Testimony

North Carolina Could Become Second State to Pass Racial Justice Act North Carolina’s legislature recently took an important step toward becoming the nation’s second state to pass a Racial Justice Act, legislation that gives defendants the opportunity to challenge the death penalty based on studies showing racial bias. The bill was quickly approved by members of the House Judiciary II Committee and will now go before the full House for consideration. The legislation is similar to legislation…

Closing of the Capital Defender Office Will Save the State Millions as New York’s Death Penalty Ends New York’s Capital Defender Office is preparing to close its doors in the wake of a N.Y. Court of Appeals ruling that disposed of the final appeal of a death sentence under the capital punishment law declared unconstitutional in 2004. “It is … my intention to close the office as soon as practically possible,” said Kevin M. Doyle, who has served as Executive Director of the defender office…

New Mexico House Approves Death Penalty Repeal Bill The New Mexico House of Representatives has approved legislation that would repeal the death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without parole. Supporters of the measure say that it will save taxpayers an estimated $3 million a year, money they contend would be better spent on helping victims’ families. They also note that capital punishment could result in an innocent person being executed, does not deter murder, and is unfairly…

New Jersey Senate Approves Abolition Bill 21 – 16 After hours of debate and testimony, the New Jersey Senate today approved bill S‑171 which will replace the state’s death penalty with a sentence of life without parole. The measure was approved by a vote of 21 – 16 and now moves to the State Assembly, where approval is also expected in a vote on Thursday. The governor has indicated he will sign the bill into law, making New Jersey the first state to legislatively abolish the death penalty in over…

State Legislators Advance Bills to Ban Juvenile Death Penalty Just weeks after legislators in Wyoming and South Dakota passed legislation to ban the execution of juvenile offenders, lawmakers in Florida are on a similar course that may send a bill that eliminates the death penalty for those under the age of 18 to Governor Jeb Bush for signature into law. Members of the Florida Senate passed the juvenile death penalty ban by a vote of 26 – 12, and the House is expected to take up the measure later…

Passed a bill in May 2003, exempting the mentally retarded from the death penalty in which retardation, described as “significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning,” will be determined before the trial. For more information regarding this legislation, Click Here. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn signed into law four pieces of legislation regarding the death penalty: Assembly Bill 17 increased pay for lawyers who defend death penalty cases. (Signed May 12) Assembly Bill 15 outlawed the…

Nebraska’s Death Penalty Repeal Bill Falls One Vote Short A measure to repeal Nebraska’s death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without parole fell one vote short of moving to the second of three stages in consideration by the unicameral legislature. It was the first time the full legislature had debated the death penalty in nearly two decades. The measure’s defeat followed two days of debate about capital punishment, including whether decisions to impose the death penalty reflect…

Montana Assistant Attorney General Calls for Death Penalty Repeal Montana Assistant Attorney General John Connor has voiced support for a legislative measure that would abolish capital punishment in his state. Stating his belief that the death penalty does not deter crime and is expensive, Connor told the Montana House Judiciary Committee, “It seems to me to be the ultimate incongruity to say we respect life so much that we’re going to dedicate all our money, all our resources, our legal…

The legislature defeated a 2007 bill that would have made the death penalty mandatory for those who murder law enforcement officers. Missouri became the 16^th state to ban the execution of inmates with mental retardation. The Missouri bill, signed by Gov. Bob Holden on July 2, but not effective until August 28, is not retroactive to those currently on death row. However, the governor indicated he would consider commuting the death sentences of those who meet the law’s definition for retardation.

Minnesota Committee Votes Down Death Penalty Following two hours of testimony including representatives of crime victims and death row exonerees, the Minnesota Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee voted 8 – 2 against reinstating the death penalty, continuing nearly a century without the sentence on the state’s books. The Committee’s vote likely blocks passage of the death penalty bill this year. Don Streufert, whose daughter was raped and murdered in 1991, was among those who…