Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The results of the Quinnipiac University poll come as proponents of reinstating the death penalty in Maryland say the law is needed because of incidents such as the Boston Marathon bombing.
Americans support the death penalty for terrorists, according to a national poll released by Quinnipiac University. The national survey found that 63 percent favored the death penalty for someone convicted of murder involving an act of terrorism compared to 32 percent who said they opposed capital punishment. The results of the poll come as political leaders including Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger, a Democrat, and Washington County Republican Del. Neil Parrott announced a plan to collect more than 55,000 signatures in order to reinstate the death penalty in Maryland. "One only has to look back to Oklahoma City, Aurora, CO, Newtown, CT, and the recent massacre in Boston to recognize that if these crimes were …
Friday, March 15, 2013
The bill now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill repealing the death penalty in Maryland. With the 82-56 vote, the bill will go to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The House of Delegates rejects 18 amendments to a Senate bill that abolishes capital punishment.
The abolition of the death penalty in Maryland is one step closer to reality with a preliminary vote by the House of Delegates Wednesday night. The House debated the bill for more than two hours with proponents defeating 18 amendments. Only one of the amendments was offered by a Democrat, Del. C.T. Wilson of Charles County. The amendments attempted to change the bill from a full-blown repeal to a partial repeal, keeping capital punishment for contract killers, mass murderers, those who rape and murder or the killers of schoolchildren. The bill now moves to a final vote scheduled for Friday. Opponents of the repeal can still offer amendments before a final vote is taken. Both sides expect that any bill passed will ultimately end up as a …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The latest poll from Goucher College shows that the majority of those polled do not see capital punishment as a deterrent to criminals.
A majority of Marylanders surveyed in a newly released poll say they favor retaining the death penalty in Maryland but appear to prefer life in prison without parole as a punishment for murder. The poll released by the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College found that 51 percent of those surveyed favored retaining capital punishment in Maryland compared to 43 percent who said they favored abolishing the law. The poll released Wednesday afternoon comes just before the House of Delegates takes a scheduled preliminary vote on a bill to abolish the death penalty. That vote is scheduled for some time after 6 p.m. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed disagree that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder, while 37 …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
A bill to repeal capital punishment is expected to pass out of a Senate committee with the vote of the Baltimore County Democrat.
The effort to repeal the death penalty in Maryland was stalled by the vote of one Baltimore County Democratic senator but it may pass this year because of another. Sen. Bobby Zirkin said he will vote in favor of a bill that repeals capital punishment in the state. "I'm forever torn on this issue, have been and probably always will be," Zirkin said in an interview Thursday. "I'm extremely jealous of people who fall comfortably on one side of the debate or the other." In the end, Zirkin said he made the decision to vote for repealing capital punishment based on testimony of some victims who said the death penalty provided little closure because of lengthy appeals and that the state hasn't executed anyone in nearly a decade. Zirkin said the …
As the legislature nears a vote on repealing the death penalty, capital punishment proponents are raising questions about the fate of the five inmates currently on Maryland’s death row.
- NEWS
-
Thursday, February 21
By Haley Bull for Capital News Service As the legislature nears a vote on repealing the death penalty, capital punishment proponents are raising questions about the fate of the five inmates currently on Maryland’s death row. Specifically, they want to know the fate of three inmates sentenced to death in the early 1980’s, when life without parole was not on the books. Gov. Martin O'Malley’s bill would not take effect until October and is not retroactive. If the death penalty is repealed, legal experts and politicians have differing opinions on what will happen to the three inmates: Anthony Grandison, Vernon Lee Evans and John Booth-El. When the three were sentenced, serving a life sentence meant parole was a possibility after 15 or 25 years…
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Even as Governor O’Malley testifies before House and Senate Committees on his bill repealing the state’s death penalty, questions are being asked about the fates of the men already on Maryland’s death row.
By Haley Bull for Capital News Service Even as Governor Martin O'Malley testifies before House and Senate Committees on his bill repealing the state's death penalty, questions are being asked about the fates of the men already on Maryland's death row.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Capital punishment in Maryland already is effectively dead, according to some prosecutors.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Saturday, February 9
By Julia Maldonado, Capital News Service A bill that would repeal the death penalty in Maryland appears to have the votes needed to clear the Senate, adding momentum to Gov. Martin O’Malley and proponents’ push for repeal. But some prosecutors and other death penalty supporters say a repeal would only make official what is already true—capital punishment doesn’t really exist in Maryland. The state has one of the most restrictive death penalty laws in the country. Combine that with bureaucratic opposition from the governor and judges’ reluctance to impose the ultimate penalty, and even the most violent criminals are not likely to ever be executed, some say. “I don’t want them to ever have the opportunity to do it again,” said Sen. Kathleen …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
The governor's seventh State of the State address is seen by many as a prelude to an expected run for president in 2016.
Gov. Martin O'Malley Wednesday urged lawmakers to pass his offshore wind bill and find more money for transportation projects—though he offered no details on a gas tax initiative. In his seventh State of the State speech, the Democratic governor also used his 35-minute address to remind legislators of what he sees as his major accomplishments since taking office in 2007. In many ways, the speech seemed to lay the groundwork for what many expect will be a run for President in 2016. Choice was a major theme in O'Malley's speech. "Better choices. Better results. The proof is in our progress," O'Malley said. [Read O'Malley's speech as prepared or watch it.] O'Malley's Legislative Wish List On the top of O'Malley's wish list are the passage of …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Death penalty opponents demonstrate in front of the State House in Annapolis seeking support for the Governor's effort to repeal the the state's death penalty.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Tuesday, January 29
By Haley Bull for Capital News Service Supporter's of Governor Martin O'Malley's bill to repeal Maryland's death penalty gathered outside the Maryland statehouse hours before lawmakers returned for their Monday evening session. Rally-goers included family members of murder victims. Vicki Schieber's daughter was raped and murdered 15 years ago. Today, Schieber wants to see the death penalty repealed, and more help for victims' families. There have been five executions in Maryland since 1976, with five people on death row. The bill would replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole and allocate more resources to victims' families.
Ian Cooper
10:03 am on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Yeah. People are morons. more ›