N.M. governor signs death penalty repeal
Richardson calls it the 'most difficult decision in my political life'
SANTA FE, N.M. - Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation Wednesday to repeal New Mexico's death penalty, calling it the "most difficult decision in my political life."
The legislation replaces lethal injection with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
"Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe," the Democratic governor said at a news conference in the Capitol.
New Mexicans will be safer with the punishment of life in prison without parole because the worst criminals "will never get out of prison," he said.
Richardson faced a deadline of midnight for making a decision on the bill that lawmakers sent him last week.
New Mexico is only the second state to ban executions since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Joins 14 other states
By signing the measure lawmakers sent him last week, New Mexico joins 14 other states that do not impose capital punishment.
And it will be only the second state to ban executions since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. New Jersey was the first, in 2007.
New Mexico has executed one person since 1960, child killer Terry Clark in 2001.
Two men are currently on death row, Robert Fry of Farmington and Timothy Allen of Bloomfield. Their sentences will not be affected by the repeal.
The repeal takes effect on July 1, and applies to crimes committed after that date. Currently, New Mexico allows for the death penalty for certain murders, including killing a child, a law enforcement or correctional officer and a witness to a crime.
full article: N.M. governor signs death penalty repeal - Crime & courts- msnbc.com
Richardson calls it the 'most difficult decision in my political life'
SANTA FE, N.M. - Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation Wednesday to repeal New Mexico's death penalty, calling it the "most difficult decision in my political life."
The legislation replaces lethal injection with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
"Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe," the Democratic governor said at a news conference in the Capitol.
New Mexicans will be safer with the punishment of life in prison without parole because the worst criminals "will never get out of prison," he said.
Richardson faced a deadline of midnight for making a decision on the bill that lawmakers sent him last week.
New Mexico is only the second state to ban executions since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Joins 14 other states
By signing the measure lawmakers sent him last week, New Mexico joins 14 other states that do not impose capital punishment.
And it will be only the second state to ban executions since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. New Jersey was the first, in 2007.
New Mexico has executed one person since 1960, child killer Terry Clark in 2001.
Two men are currently on death row, Robert Fry of Farmington and Timothy Allen of Bloomfield. Their sentences will not be affected by the repeal.
The repeal takes effect on July 1, and applies to crimes committed after that date. Currently, New Mexico allows for the death penalty for certain murders, including killing a child, a law enforcement or correctional officer and a witness to a crime.
full article: N.M. governor signs death penalty repeal - Crime & courts- msnbc.com
