Death Penalty Update

Legislative panel votes to suspend executions
by Mark Martin- SF Chronicle

Sacramento -- An effort to suspend the death penalty was narrowly approved by a legislative committee Tuesday as proponents argued the state's legal system could execute an innocent person.

Igniting a legislative debate on capital punishment, Democrats advanced a bill that calls for a death penalty moratorium for two years as a commission studies how best to prevent wrongful convictions. The commission is expected to make recommendations for changes in the legal system to the Legislature by 2008. (Full story here.)

AB 1121 passed with the support of four Democrat Assemblymembers: Mark Leno, Jackie Goldberg, Merv Dymally and Lonnie Hancock.

I commend to your attention the well written analysis by Jerry Davis at CaliCapia. To read the commentary click here.