death penalty repeal – Page 2

A list of the 14

“I don’t want to jinx myself,” I told the reporter.

He had asked me to comment off the record about our chances to pass death penalty repeal in the House.

We expect the bill will pass the Senate this week, but it hasn’t yet.

Hence my reluctance.

But if/when the bill gets to the House, the vote in the Judiciary Committee could come swiftly.

I now have a list of the 14 “Yes” votes in the committee – the members who have committed to vote for repeal.

I will ask each of them to reaffirm their position and to vote against any amendments that might be offered.

They would kill the bill.

Meeting a deadline and the votes for passage

January 22, 2013 | by delsandy | featured, Sandy's 2013 Legislative Diary | No Comments

I’m old enough to remember when the clock was literally turned back at midnight to provide additional time for the General Assembly to conclude its business on the last day of the session.

To avoid that time travel, we are now guaranteed a bill hearing if we submit our bill requests to our drafting staff by the close of business today. The overwhelming majority of House bills will be introduced by the next deadline on February 7, and all of that legislation will have a public hearing by the second week in March.

No matter how well I think I’ve planned ahead, there’s a rush of requests today – seven to be exact.

I realized that I’m old enough not to remember the email address for the bill drafting office. I had to settle for CtrlC(copy).

In some cases, some of the details of your proposed legislation may be lacking. So you request that last year’s bill be reintroduced with the intent of making changes to gain support before the bill is introduced.

An advocacy group may be unaware of the deadline. So at a meeting yesterday, you offer to make a bill request, giving the group the time to find another sponsor who’s on the committee that will hear the bill.

—-

My name will be on one bill that was introduced today.

I am one of 66 co-sponsors of the Governor’s legislation to repeal the death penalty. As I sought support on the House floor, additional members also indicated they would vote yes but not co-sponsor.

We have the votes for passage.

January 15 – Broken from birth

January 15, 2013 | by delsandy | featured, Sandy's 2013 Legislative Diary | No Comments

“The death penalty was broken from birth,” declared Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP.

He spoke at the press conference where Governor O’Malley announced that he would sponsor the bill repealing capital punishment.

The Governor’s action is a big deal. He brings the power and resources of his office to our effort. So has Ben Jealous.

Nonetheless, I still felt uncomfortable when several people congratulated me.

“That’s appropriate for the bill signing,” I responded.

When I spoke, I congratulated “our two leaders, Governor O’Malley and Ben Jealous, for their moral courage and political leadership.”

“Weather permitting, this event was supposed to be held outside, next to the Thurgood Marshall statue,” I said.

“That statue honors Marshall for bringing the lawsuit that integrated the University of Maryland Law School. As a young lawyer, Marshall also handled death penalty cases.

“Eighty years ago, he knew that the death penalty was broken at birth. Over the next eighty days, we will remove this blight from our laws.”

One flight up and hiding the ball

January 8, 2013 | by delsandy | featured, Sandy's 2013 Legislative Diary | No Comments

I usually walk up one flight of stairs.

But when Governor O’Malley is taking the elevator, so am I.

We were headed to the annual eve-of-session luncheon for Democratic elected officials.

When we reached the 2^nd floor, the Governor was met by a gaggle of reporters.

In response to a question about the death penalty, he said, “There may well be a majority of Senators who support repeal.”

Senate President Miller has said that the bill will be debated on the Senate floor only if there are the necessary 24 votes for passage.

So the Governor’s statement is good news.

—

My colleague and I had agreed to introduce a bill.

One person at the meeting stated, “We hope this bill will pass under the radar of its likely opponent because that group has far more costly issues to deal with this session.”

I responded: “The first contact should be from us, explaining the need for the bill. Otherwise they might think the worst.”

Everyone agreed.

You don’t try to hide the ball.

Something old, Something new

March 20, 2012 | by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

“I’m an Old Testament person.”

I didn’t say that. Delegate Michael Smigiel did.

He was explaining why the death penalty was appropriate vengeance for heinous murders.

I had just testified for its repeal.

Our back and forth continued.

At its conclusion, he said, “I guess I’m Old Testament and you’re New Testament.”

The room erupted in laughter.

“When you first said you were Old Testament,” I responded, “I thought about asking you, ‘What are your plans for Passover?’”

Past the time for tinkering

March 19, 2012March 26, 2012 | by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

Most of the day was spent in meetings on the revenue bills needed to balance the budget, but I did have time to draft my testimony for tomorrow’s hearing on repeal of the death penalty.

When given the opportunity, two dozen Marylanders have voted no on the death penalty.

Prosecutors have sought the death penalty on two occasions since the General Assembly last took action on the death penalty.

In one instance, there was no doubt as to the perpetrator.

In the other, a prison guard had been killed by an inmate serving a life sentence.

The additional expense attributable to these capital prosecutions would be better spent assisting the families of victims.

It has been more than 33 years since the full House voted on the fundamental question before us today.

This committee should give the body the opportunity already exercised by our peers on those juries.

We are past the time when we can tinker with the death penalty.

It should be repealed.

(Photo Credit: Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / February 10, 2011 )

A profound vote

February 29, 2012 | by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

Another vote on the death penalty.

An Anne Arundel County jury has rejected a death sentence for an inmate who had been convicted of murdering a prison officer.

The jury of his peers felt that life without the possibility of parole was the appropriate punishment.

This is the second time in recent months that a jury has voted not to execute.

There has been no vote on the death penalty by my peers in the legislature this session.

Our vote count indicates that a majority of the members in both the Senate and the House of Delegates support an end to capital punishment in Maryland.

This is the most profound issue I will work on during my service in the legislature.

A bill of this consequence deserves a vote.