US state abolishes the death penalty.

[Baron von Biffo]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking9.html

The governor of Connecticut has abolished the death penalty...

The article doesn't explain if this was as a result of vote of the state government or a private initiative of the governor. In either case it's good to see a small grain of civilisation emerging in the primitive, violent and vengeful US legal system.

[DCon]

Huff post say that support for (and execution of) the Death Penalty is declining

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1453953.html

[Spectabilis]

There is still 61% support nationally however, and 33 states continue with the practice, according to those two links.

[Count Bobulescu]

Connecticut is the 17th state to officially abolish the death penalty since the Supreme Court permitted its reintroduction in 1976. Today the death penalty is carried out mostly in a few southern states most notably Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, Alabama, and Georgia in that order by number of executions.

Because in the US the doctrine of Separation of Powers as between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches is observed to a greater extent than is the case in parliamentary democracies generally, the process for enacting and abolishing law is more complicated. In the US this is generally considered a good thing and is often referred to as one of the great wisdoms of the founding fathers.

Presidents and Governors can propose laws but unlike Prime Ministers they cannot vote on laws. They must either sign or veto a law passed by the legislature. A veto can apply to an entire law or an individual provision in the law, known as a line item veto. A legislature if it can summon sufficient votes can override an Executive veto.

To Spect’s point about 61% national support and 33 states: Support and opposition to the DP breaks down closely along party lines. As with gun laws, Republicans generally support and Democrats generally oppose.

Here’s a piece on the looming death of the death penalty by the Atlantic’s legal correspondent Andrew Cohen.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/...enalty/249969/

In recent years, capital punishment has been on a sharp decline, both in the courts and in the court of public opinion
The year-end report by the folks at the Death Penalty Information Center tell more and more Americans what they already know in their hearts to be true: The death penalty experiment is failing yet again. Undermined by overzealous prosecutors, a hobby-horse for incurious politicians, too often taken unseriously by jurors and witnesses, capital punishment in America has devolved since 1976 into a costly, inaccurate, racially biased, and unseemly proposition.

We clearly can't do it right, and more people are wondering whether we should continue doing it at all. The facts and figures of 2011 soberly reflect the nation's evolving perceptions of the problems inherent in the justice system's ultimate punishment. For decades, "death is different" has been the courtroom mantra of capital cases. But now, and with increasing clarity, "death is different" is becoming a discernible trend all across the country. From the DPIC's annual summary:

More info here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty_in_the_USA

[Andrew49]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking9.html

The governor of Connecticut has abolished the death penalty...

The article doesn't explain if this was as a result of vote of the state government or a private initiative of the governor. In either case it's good to see a small grain of civilisation emerging in the primitive, violent and vengeful US legal system.

Very brave as I believe there is still strong support for judicial homicide in Connecticut.

[Baron von Biffo]

In Texas, the executions capital of the US, a man has just been released from gaol after 23 years when DNA testing proved he was innocent of the crime for which he was convicted.

Wouldn't it be a great good if this causes Texans to reconsider their almost casual attitude to state killings?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/inn...rs-564318.html

[Count Bobulescu]

Md. becomes the 18th state, and the first below the Mason Dixon to abolish.

O’Malley repeals Md. death penalty

Maryland became the sixth state in as many years to abolish capital punishment when Gov. Martin O’Malley signed legislation Thursday repealing the death penalty.

The new law could face a challenge at the ballot box next year, however. A group that has led successful petition drives in the past said it would announce Friday whether it will move forward with an expected bid to put the issue to voters in November 2014.

[random new yorker]

hey...we dont really consider MD below the Mason Dixon.... really(!!)

when Mississippi abolishes the death penalty you talk to me about the Line

now West VA (abolished death penalty in 1965) sounds pretty hick to me...

[Count Bobulescu]

hey...we dont really consider MD below the Mason Dixon.... really(!!)

when Mississippi abolishes the death penalty you talk to me about the Line

now West VA (abolished death penalty in 1965) sounds pretty hick to me...

Not any more perhaps, but tweren’t ever so. Md was a slave holding state. If you’ve ever seen the 1980’s TV series Roots, the central character, the slave Kunta Kinte, arrives in the US from Africa at Annapolis. DP was on the books for over 300 years. Port Tobacco is barely 20 miles as the crow flies from DC.

Instead of Cosmo, Vogue etc. all the finer establishments and best doss houses in Md. keep a copy of Southern Living on their coffee tables.

http://www.southernliving.com/

Y’awl gotta come on down sometime.

Death penalty supporters launch petition drive

Martin O'Malley signed legislation to abolish capital punishment in Maryland, death penalty supporters said Friday they will launch a petition ...

The General Assembly voted this year to erase capital punishment from Maryland's lawbooks after more than 300 years. Unless the referendum challenge succeeds, Maryland will become the 18th state to repeal its death penalty.
To succeed, opponents of repeal will have to gather 55,736 valid signatures by June 30 — the first third of them by May 31.

[random new yorker]

Not any more perhaps, but tweren’t ever so. Md was a slave holding state. If you’ve ever seen the 1980’s TV series Roots, the central character, the slave Kunta Kinte, arrives in the US from Africa at Annapolis. DP was on the books for over 300 years. Port Tobacco is barely 20 miles as the crow flies from DC.

Instead of Cosmo, Vogue etc. all the finer establishments and best doss houses in Md. keep a copy of Southern Living on their coffee tables.

http://www.southernliving.com/

Y’awl gotta come on down sometime.

Death penalty supporters launch petition drive

oh come on how long have you lived in Wash DC ... that's not how you say Y'all ...

I just think tis funny when I head to Wash and people insist in reminding me it's a Southern state .. ahem yea ... historic precision... then I have to deal with Mississippi ...

[Simonsays]

Great to see.