New Mexico Repeals Death Penalty

Earlier today, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed a bill repealing the death penalty in that state:

The legislation replaces lethal injection with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty with a solution that keeps society safe,” Mr. Richardson said at a news conference in the Capitol.

New Jersey abolished their death penalty via legislation as well in 2007. This is reflective of a nationwide trend, with various bills progressing further in legislatures around the country each year. This is a ripe opportunity for Indiana to take a step back and reexamine its own capital punishment system and decide if it meets Hoosier standards of fairness and effectiveness.