Today, the Maryland House of Delegates voted to repeal the death penalty. The bill previously passed the Maryland Senate and now goes to Governor O'Malley for his signature.
In response to the passage of the death penalty repeal, Governor O'Malley issued the following statement:
“With today’s vote to repeal the death penalty in Maryland, the General Assembly is eliminating a policy that is proven not to work. Evidence shows that the death penalty is not a deterrent, it cannot be administered without racial bias, and it costs three times as much as life in prison without parole. What’s more, there is no way to reverse a mistake if an innocent person is put to death.
http://www.governor.maryland.gov/...
O'Malley has been very outspoken in his opposition to the death penalty and has testified in favor of its repeal both this year and in 2009. In 2009, the majority of the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted against repealing the death penalty.
I am glad that the efforts in Maryland to repeal the death penalty have succeeded this year.