Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on Passage of Death Penalty Repeal in Maryland

Statement

Governor Martin O'Malley today issued the following statement on the passage of the Administration's bill to repeal the death penalty in Maryland. The final vote count on the bill is 82-56 in the Maryland House of Delegates:

"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.

"I'd like to thank Benjamin Jealous and Gerald Stansbury of the NAACP, Senator Raskin, Senator Gladden and Delegate Rosenberg for their leadership on this issue, Ben Civiletti and the other members of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment -- and all of the members of the General Assembly who've worked to make this vote a reality. I'd also like to thank Maryland Citizens Against State Executions, and all of our faith leaders and coalition partners who've worked so hard to get this done."

The Governor will make a case-by-case decision regarding the five inmates currently on death row.

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