Last May Governor O’Malley signed the bill to repeal the death penalty in Maryland. This is a great victory and an historic step forward for our state.
But we have further to go. Four months later, there are still 5 prisoners on death row that this bill will not save from the ultimate penalty. Governor O’Malley has the power to turn their sentences to life in prison.
O’Malley has said that he will consider commuting on a case-by-case basis once a request is made. With the death penalty illegal in Maryland, the Governor should do the humane thing and commute these sentences to life-in-prison.
Extinguishing a light, no matter how dim, is never the path to illumination. We must continue to do the right thing. These prisoners will still serve their entire lives in prison, so we need not subject them to the death penalty.
Please add your name to the petition and ask Governor O’Malley to commute these sentences.
Thanks for standing with me,
Heather