“I couldn’t afford to lose my son too.”

“It’s never over.”

“Invest in us.  It will help a lot of people.”

The three witnesses were testifying for my bill creating programs for survivors of homicide victims.

Maryland would be the first state to do this after repealing the death penalty.

Governor O’Malley put $500,000 for this purpose in his budget, fulfilling a commitment he made last year.

Today’s testimony brought back the emotions I felt during the repeal debate.

Only one task remains: persuading the Governor to commute the sentences for the men still on death row to life without the possibility of parole.