Monday, May 6, 2013
People are talking about the prospect of a referendum on Maryland's death penalty repeal.
With Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) signing legislation repealing the Maryland's death penalty Thursday and death penalty proponents gathering signatures to put the issue on the 2014 ballot, discussion of the controversy moved to social media in recent days. Those against the death penalty rejoiced. @jglassroth tweeted: "Proud to live in Maryland: #nomoredeathpenalty." @SallyAlbright is pleased with the governor, tweeting: "My new fave gov.... Martin O'Malley signs Maryland death penalty repeal." Not everyone was pleased, however. @bmenlend of Bethesda tweeted: "Martin O'Malley is moving #Maryland forward. No death penalty/gun bans. Very safe. If you're a criminal. 'Do what u like we won't kill u.'" @baronpen of Kensington also is not happy …
Friday, May 3, 2013
A state’s attorney, delegate and state senator announce a campaign to put the newly passed death penalty repeal in Maryland to referendum.
Using Oriole Park as a backdrop, three elected officials told reporters Friday the prospect of a terrorist attack at sporting events and other public gatherings justifies repealing a new state law ending the death penalty. Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger, a Democrat, Baltimore County state Sen. Jim Brochin, a Democrat, and Washington County Del. Neil Parrott, a Republican, announced their plans to support an effort to use the website MDPetitions.com to gather enough signatures to challenge the death penalty repeal on the 2014 ballot. "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 committed today, here in Maryland, we would …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Gun control, a repeal of the death penalty and a budget deal were among the victories for Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.
The last 90 days have been good to Gov. Martin O'Malley and the state lawmakers who supported his vision for a more progressive Maryland. The 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly was contentious, but productive and, according to at least one Republican staffer, "the most liberal," maybe ever. See what lawmakers and their staff are saying about "Sine Die," a Latin phrase meaning "without day" that signifies the last day of the legislative session, in the collection of tweets above. Among the bills that passed this year: Among the unsuccessful bills:
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 …
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Capital punishment in Maryland already is effectively dead, according to some prosecutors.
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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 …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Sean Henderson and Julia Maldonado, Capital News Service
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Wednesday, January 23
This interactive graphic shows the five people executed in Maryland since 1976, and the five people currently on death row in the state. Also includes an interactive map comparing the number of executions in Maryland since 1976 with the number of executions in other states in that period.
tom walker
9:43 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Let the Voters be heard!! and we will see were the majority really is!! more ›