Maryland to become 18th state to outlaw death penalty! (why not all of them?)

[Logical]

IMO it should be all 50. It is not a deterrent, it costs more then housing the prisoner for life and if you ban it no innocent person will be executed. Hell, most civilized countries banned it years ago. Canada, 1976. The UK, 1973. Australia, 1984. France, 1981.

So the USA gets to be associated with China, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.

Congrats Maryland. Welcome to civility!

Maryland will become the 18th state to ban the death penalty.

A bill to outlaw capital punishment cleared the state House of Delegates on Friday and has already been approved by the Senate. Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, has said that he will sign it.
O’Malley told reporters after the vote that the ban validates a “core belief that we share in the dignity of every human being.”
“Overwhelming evidence tells us that the death penalty does not work,” he said earlier in the day on Twitter. He added: “Especially in tough times, if a public policy is expensive and does not work, then we should stop doing it.”

The vote in the House was 82-56.

Maryland has five men on death row; the new legislation would allow the governor to commute their sentences. The state last executed someone in 2005. It has put five people to death since reinstating the death penalty in 1978.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/15/17328301-maryland-to-become-18th-state-to-outlaw-death-penalty?lite

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. Go Maryland!

So proud of my native state for getting this done. And so proud of Gov. O'Malley for pushing this necessary issue forward.

A sweet breath of fresh air of humanity!

[Logical]

2. Congrats! I live in Kansas. We might make being gay a capital offense at some point. n-t

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. Well I live in Florida now.

And as much as I love the weather and climate down here, it will be a long day before our crazy legislature would even consider doing such a similar thing.

[Logical]

4. Just like Texas! n-t

[longship]

5. Proud Michigander!

No death penalty here. Not since statehood. (Last execution was military.)

Way to go, Maryland!

[Logical]

6. Wow, did not know that. cool! n-t

[elehhhhna]

7. Answer: because Texas

[Logical]

8. So true! n-t