Delaware AG won't appeal court rejection of death penalty

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Delaware AG won't appeal court rejection of death penalty

Randall Chase, Associated Press

Updated 4:25 pm, Monday, August 15, 2016

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn said Monday that he will not appeal a state Supreme Court decision declaring the state's death penalty law unconstitutional, but that he believes the ruling cannot be applied retroactively to the 13 men currently on death row.

In a statement released by his office, the Democratic attorney general said he decided not to appeal the Aug. 2 ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a 148-page opinion, a majority of Delaware Supreme Court justices said the law violates the U.S. Constitution because it allows a judge to sentence a person to death independently of a jury's recommendation.


The ruling also found fault with parts of the law that allow a judge to find the existence of one or more aggravating circumstances weighing in favor of the death penalty, and because it does not require jurors to be unanimous in deciding whether any aggravating circumstances exist.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Delaware-AG-won-t-appeal-court-rejection-of-death-9143879.php

[saidsimplesimon]

1. Thank you, Judi

Simply said, I have never, will never, support a death penalty. From the historical records, there is too much room for error. More could be said, others have already done so, it's public record.

I would fund care for victims of abuse to abate future incidents. Unfortunately, mental health is not a priority in this country I love. I have not given up hope for a reversal of that mentality.