Moments ago, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law a bill that repeals the death penalty. Maryland is now the 18th death penalty-free state. According to the Baltimore Sun, the death penalty had been on the books in Maryland for more than 300 years. Congratulations to our colleagues in Maryland and everyone who worked […]
abolition
Legislators hear from Anthony Graves, other witnesses in favor of death penalty repeal
Late last night, starting around 10:50 PM and lasting until after midnight, the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee considered testimony on House Bill 1703, the death penalty repeal bill by State Representative Jessica Farrar. Representatives Alma Allen and Lon Burnam co-authored the bill. Rep. Farrar addressed three major flaws of the death penalty: the risk […]
Texas House Committee to Hear Death Penalty Repeal Bill
Today, Monday, April 29, 2013, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill (HB) 1703, which calls for the repeal of the death penalty in Texas. HB 1703 is authored by State Representative Jessica Farrar (District 148 – Houston), State Representatives Alma Allen (District 131 – Houston) and Lon Burnam (District 90 – Fort Worth).
Maryland Senate Passes Abolition Legislation
Earlier today, the Maryland Senate passed SB 276, a bill to replace the death penalty with life without parole, by a vote of 27-20. The vote occurred after three days of debate. It was the first time in decades that the full Senate considered repeal legislation, as previous efforts in that body had been blocked by […]
Texas Carries Out Its First Execution of the Year; Maryland Committee Passes Repeal
Last night, February 21, 2013, the State of Texas executed Carl Blue for the 1994 murder of his ex-girlfriend, Carmen Richards-Sanders, in Bryan. It was the first execution to take place in Texas this year and the third nationwide. The State of Georgia also carried out an execution last night, putting Andrew Allen Cook to death for the […]