WASHINGTON – A bill to repeal the death penalty in Maryland will be introduced again during the 2013 lawmaking session.
Past repeal bills presented in the state have failed to reach a floor vote in 10 of the last 12 legislative sessions.
Sen. Lisa A. Gladden (D-Dist. 41) reintroduced the bill for its thirteenth time. She tells the Gazette the new bill would use money saved from capital murder cases to support families of murder victims.
Officials against the repeal say if the death penalty is on the books, it should be used. Right now the death penalty only applies to cases with DNA evidence, video evidence or video confessions.
Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-Dist. 34) is against the repeal. She wants new steps in place to allow executions to move forward.
Virginia also has the death penalty, but D.C. does not. Maryland currently has five inmates on death row.
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