New Jersey Abolishes Death Penalty

12/20/07

The Democratic-controlled state underwent a three-hour debate over banning capital punishment. Finally, in a 44-36 vote (where "three Republicans joined 41 Democrats in the Assembly to pass the bill...[and] nine Democrats voted against the measure, while four Republicans joined 17 Democrats in the Senate" to pass the bill), a decision was reached: executions are out.

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is pleased with the outcome and looks forward to signing the bill into action.

"It will be very, very prompt," he said of his signing the bill. "I'm sure it will be within the next week."

The ban, which human rights activists consider one step closer to a nationwide abolition, will replace execution with life in prison without parole. New Jersey is the first state in over four decades to vote to ban executions. Iowa and West Virginia voted to abolish capital punishment in 1965, while 37 other states continue to support capital punishment.

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"We urge other states to follow New Jersey's example and abolish this cruel and archaic punishment," said David Fathi, director of the U.S. program at Human Rights Watch.

However, Republicans in the Assembly were upset by the outcome.

"This is a bill which benefits criminals, murderers," said Richard Merkt. "I am ashamed the Assembly would consider this bill today."

Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said, "This vote marks a new chapter in our nation's 30-year experiment with capital punishment. New Jersey lawmakers are demonstrating sound judgment in abandoning capital punishment after learning of its costs, the pain it causes victims' families, and the risks the death penalty poses to innocent lives."

Richard Kanka, whose seven-year-old daughter was murdered, however, disagrees.

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"This does not hamper the families of the people who have individuals on death row. We haven't had enough. We will have enough when one person is executed and the process moves on."

Regarding "the risks the death penalty poses to innocent lives," Sharon Hazard-Johnson, whose parents were murdered in their own home by death row inmate Brian Wakefield, stated that none of the inmates on death row have been proven innocent.

"That's proof that the system works," she said.

Marilyn Flax, whose husband was kidnapped and murdered by death row inmate John Martini, is also angry over New Jersey's decision to swap execution with life in prison without parole.

"I will...never forget the last words my husband said, in a terrifying, piercing voice: 'Give them the money. They are going to kill me,'" Flax said.

But Fathi appears confident.

"I think people will start to see that we can live without the death penalty," he said. "The New Jersey abolition will be one more brick in that wall."