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New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalty

By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 05:41:14 PM EST
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The New Mexico state house voted today to abolish the death penalty in favor of life without parole. It now goes to the state senate.

What will Gov. Bill Richardson do if this bill reaches his desk? It's a political hot potato. Richardson has been in favor of the death penalty in the past. But if he vetoes the bill, it could have a negative effect on his chances for a 2008 Democratic nomination for President.

The last time the N.M. state senate voted on a bill to end the death penalty, it defeated the bill by only one vote.

Legislators who believe the death penalty is a deterrent are misinformed.

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    New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalty | 41 comments (41 topical)
    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#1)
    by scarshapedstar on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 06:14:57 PM EST
    Wingnuts rejoice, the Rapture index just got higher.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 06:32:37 PM EST
    Good to see a state where they don't use the death penalty that much to begin with continue to take proactive steps to get rid of it. If it does get abolished there, I hope that it doesn't get knee-jerked back into effect sometime down the line.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 07:19:28 PM EST
    Good for the Land of Enchantment. Brings it in step with most civilized nations.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 08:31:33 PM EST
    Richardson strikes me as being from the Bill Clinton school of Dem politics. He'll be the first in line to execute a lobotomized prisoner to further his political ambitions. I will never be able to forgive Clinton for Ricky Ray Rector but I did vote for him anyway, as the lesser of two evils. When the death penalty debate is on the merits as a public policy issue rather than as a yet another tool of fear-mongering Republicans, maybe we'll know we're living in a civilized society.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 08:57:27 PM EST
    Politically, it is a death sentence for the Democrats if it DOES pass.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 09:10:56 PM EST
    So what do you do with "hate crime" [capital] murder?

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 09:41:17 PM EST
    Politically, it is a death sentence for the Democrats if it DOES pass. Disagree. The slow death of the Democrats has been caused by trying to out-pander the GOP on that sort of thing. * * * Y'all know that a good-sized chunk of the pro-death-penalty camp (forget the percentage, but it's well into the double digits) say they would support capital punishment even if it meant innocent people being executed sometimes. Is that just plain evil or what? But give 'em their propers: It's becoming increasingly apparent that this is the only basis upon which you can support the death penalty. What with better DNA evidence and assorted innocence projects, it's clear that the supporters who insist that all executed are guilty are utterly kidding themselves.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#8)
    by phat on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 09:46:03 PM EST
    How is that a political death sentence if it passes? The death penalty is on its way out in the United States. Public support is dropping quickly. I can't imagine anyone losing an election over the death penalty in the US anymore. If they stand by their principles I think it's a no-brainer. phat

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 10:33:20 PM EST
    The Death Penalty may be falling out of favor in the Northeast, but the people out West and down South think a bit different. Even it lost 10 points out this way, it would still be popular. Nothing says "WIMPY" like a Party being tainted as pro criminal. If it passes, so does the Democrats' chances in that Battleground state. Cold reality talking.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 28, 2005 at 11:32:57 PM EST
    bush talks tough when he is executing women and retards but when it comes to planes flying into bulidings he sits still and gets read to by school children. The death penalty is not worth it if innocent get convicted and sent to death for a crime they did not commit. That said if there was 100% proof (impossible I know) that the convicted was guilty of a heinous crime child rape or murder- I would throw the switch myself. It's a simple fact, some people deserve to die.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 05:05:50 AM EST
    It's a simple fact, some people deserve to die. Always left out oof these statements..... "And I get to decide"

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#12)
    by soccerdad on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 05:06:50 AM EST
    Gerry, dont worry we haven't given up. The West and South will eventually join the Northeast and most other civilized countries in the 21th centrury. Although the people who want to execute minors, the retarded, the old will be disappointed they can't be just like China, Iran, and other becons of liberty and justice

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 06:07:53 AM EST
    "Although the people who want to execute minors, the retarded, the old will be disappointed they can't be just like China, Iran" Do you mean Abortion on Demand, Eugenics, and Euthanasia? Society's priorities are a bit out of whack when these practices are coming into favor while executing the more heinous of criminals is not.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#14)
    by DonS on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 06:11:23 AM EST
    Criminal law, Prof. Robinson, 1965, gave damn good evidence that the death penalty is not a deterrant. Facts have never disuaded the "hang 'em high" crowd.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 06:50:08 AM EST
    The Death Penalty IS a deterrent. NO ONE who has served that sentence has ever committed a crime again!

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#16)
    by DonS on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 07:03:13 AM EST
    "The Death Penalty IS a deterrent. NO ONE who has served that sentence has ever committed a crime again!" Brilliant! Just brilliant! Unfortunately, irrelevant to the discussion of DETERRANCE as it is generally meant. Your tautology notwithstanding.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 07:56:24 AM EST
    If the Death Penalty isn't a deterrent, why would Prison be? Plus wouldn't our current system of rot in prison for 10 years before your sentence gets imposed hit both points of deterrence (death penalty and hard time)? If the Death Penalty isn't a deterrence, why do so many people plea bargin in order to get it off the table?

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 07:59:57 AM EST
    In my view, the death penalty is an expression of the victim's right to self-defense. The Sceptical Inquirer article referred to by Merrit shows quite rationally that the death penalty has no discernable effect on homicide rates. The legal system is defective in a broad way regarding convictions, I would guess. The legal system often aims at punishment per se, and punishes acts which many good people think are not even crimes. Again, what do you do with "hate crime" murder? What does "insanity" have to do with any crime? And so on. My point is that the death penalty issue is not very simple. I wish I had a solution.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 08:01:57 AM EST
    Everone in New Mexico seeking justice move one state to the east. Kill em all let God sort em out.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#20)
    by DonS on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 08:13:45 AM EST
    Dear Message from Texas, Your brand of comment is more appropriate to a blog where it is possible to respond in a fashion that befits its ignorance.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#21)
    by soccerdad on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 09:14:41 AM EST
    Kill em all let God sort em out.
    God will also sort out those who falsely put people to death under the guise of justice

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:09:20 AM EST
    "Everone in New Mexico seeking justice move one state to the east." Actually, the backlash will be the State of New Mexico will vote in legislators more like the ones to the east of them. For Dems, this is a political Death Sentence.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:22:50 AM EST
    Y'all know that a good-sized chunk of the pro-death-penalty camp (forget the percentage, but it's well into the double digits) say they would support capital punishment even if it meant innocent people being executed sometimes. Molly: Unfortunately, to his shame, Al Gore adopted this position in 2000. As a result, Bush's execution factory in Texas wasn't a major issue in the presidential campaign. From CNN's archives: "Gore also said Thursday that he and others who support capital punishment 'have to acknowledge that even the finest system of justice will inevitably ... produce some errors.'"

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:27:59 AM EST
    Here's the CNN link (re Gore's position): http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/06/23/gore.death.penalty/ Now that Gore seems to be a little more progressive generally, I hope he has a different position on this issue.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#25)
    by desertswine on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:37:29 AM EST
    For Dems, this is a political Death Sentence
    NM has executed only one guy (a child killer, who wanted to die) since, I think, about 1960. So I don't think it's going to make that much of a difference. Also, don't move here; just look at the pictures.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 11:19:20 AM EST
    "NM has executed only one guy (a child killer, who wanted to die) since, I think, about 1960. So I don't think it's going to make that much of a difference." How many had NY executed? How many have they since executed since reinstatement? Where is Mario Cuomo and why isn't he still Governor? Banning the Death Penalty will also make those pesky extridition hearings all the more entertaining and problematic- both Politically and legally. If you all don't see any backlash, then I think we may be onto something as to why the Democrats and the Left are losing about everywhere.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 08:57:43 PM EST
    Hey Gun Lover: why do you rely on the State to do your killing for you, either in Iraq or in regards to your family? Somebody's got to "pull the lever". Why do you make accomplices out of the rest of us to satisfy your desire for revenge? Is killing wrong or isn't it? If you want to kill Iraqis because you can't make the distinction between them and the perpetrators of 9/11 then you gotta do what you gotta do. But then it's easier to not do it and complain because someone else isn't doing it fast enough for your liking or that some other people might think that killing thousands and thousands of Iraqi men, women, and children is as wrong as it was for someone to murder your sister.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 10:50:39 PM EST
    Intellectually, I know that the death penalty is final, leaving no room to correct frequent errors in the criminal justice system, which can be criminal in its injustice to defendants. The death penalty also mocks our alleged 'respect for life.' On the other hand, emotionally, I believe that some people just don't deserve to live another minute on this earth. Examples? Child killers, torturers, rapist/murderers come to mind. The emotional satisfaction of executing some criminals is outweighed by the other factors. No civilized country worth the name still executes criminals. Nor do they go to war unless provoked to self-defense. But we don't live in the best of all possible worlds, yet.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 04:51:53 AM EST
    "But we don't live in the best of all possible worlds, yet. " . . . and we're going to get there by reinforcing our basest instincts, even when proven not a deterrent, over the sanctitiy for life we pretend to be so concerned about? We'll I guess Scalia feels so. Yesterday's opinion was replete with vitriol appropriate his dark mind.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#30)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 08:19:47 AM EST
    Hey,Some gu, until you have a family member murdered you have no clue what it feels like. You have no clue what it feels like to know that, that piece of crap is a free man right now and my sister is still dead. As far as "make accomplices out of the rest of us" Give me a break, what, do you work in a prison as the lever puller? I didn't think so. Killing is not wrong if it's done under the right circumstancse. ie. death penaly, preserving freedom for all. I hope you're not insinuating that our troops are over in Iraq killing thousands of men, women and children. Are you saying U.S. troops are the ones blowing up car bombs in market places and in front of police stations and assinating Iraqis who don't want to live in a country where someone could take you away and cut your head off at any moment. If so then what are you doing here, why don't you leave. Know one is keeping you here.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 09:05:35 AM EST
    Gun lover, I am sorry to hear about you sister. That is something hoefully noone here will have to face. However, I don't think anyone here is for letting convicted murders go free. Personally, I don't think the death penalty does a lot of good. It seems to me to be revenge killing which , in my opinion, is just as wrong.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#32)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 10:49:37 AM EST
    I only support tht death penalty if it is applied to George Bush, Dick Cheney, et al.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 10:53:14 AM EST
    I'll only support the death penalty if it's applied to George Bush, Dick Cheney, et al.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#34)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 12:04:24 PM EST
    I don't have to insinuate anything: it's an objective fact - US troops have killed thousands upon thousands of innocent Iraqis. Maybe you're ok with this and can explain good reasons for it. But it can't be denied anymore than anyone can deny your sister was murdered. Also, the fact that your sister was murdered doesn't automatically give you moral authority over everyone else on the subject of killing and murder. You're the one that should leave and go to Iraq instead of just shooting your mouth off. You support a war of aggression against Iraq which had no WMD and the CIA reports had no terrorist base of operations before we invaded, you go fight it. No? Didn't think so. You let other people do your killing for you like every other chickenhawk supporter of the war then besmirch the patriotism of people who don't agree with you like the other chickenhawk windbags who obviously do your thinking for you - Hannity, Limbaugh, et al. Bye, chickenhawk. Post again from Iraq when you have some credibility .

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#35)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 12:34:26 PM EST
    Abolishing the death penalty will NOT result in a backlash, North, South, East or West. When George Ryan commuted all the death sentences in Illinois everybody said that he'd send the whole anti-death penalty movement backward. Instead, it just inspired more states to consider moratoria and major changes. Even in death-obsessed Virginia, a Republican Congressman recently proposed a moratorium. There are reasons the country has lost support for the death penalty. First, the crime rate is much lower than it was in the early 1990s when support for the death penalty was about 20% higher than now. Second, famous DNA and other investigations have proven how flawed the system is. Very few non-dishonest prosecutors will disagree that the system is broken. And third, the anti-death penalty movement has built enormous grass-roots support from human rights groups, Christian organizations (including the Catholic Church), and others committed to ending capital punishment. The Pope's 1995 Encyclical where he declared that the death penalty must be abolished in the United States (because prison was a viable alternative) added weight to the anti-death penalty side. Clearly, abolishing it outright is one of the acceptable alternatives now on the table, and in more places than you think. Richardson must sign this bill or he is a hopeless sellout.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#36)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 01:02:35 PM EST
    Thats pretty funny. You say I should go to Iraq. Been there done that, 1990-1991. I was there the first time when we didn't finish the job, now it's being finished. Letting other people do the killing for me, lets just say what happened in Iraq stays in Iraq. WMD's, for 10 years the Iraqi government gave the weapons inspectors the run around, they may not of had any, but they sure acted like they did and we called their bluff. Can you name one instants where the U.S. military purposly killed innocent people? Hannity is a jerk and Limbaugh is a junky, I do my thinking for myself based on facts not Micheal Moore spun around BS. And calling me a Chickenhawk, thanks I'll take that as a complement. Chickenhawks are powerful and swift.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#37)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 04:35:37 PM EST
    Bill Richardson might not want to be branded and "Pro-Murderer" by republicans, should he ever seek higher office.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#38)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 04:39:48 PM EST
    CHARLIEO You would not apply it to Osama bin laden?? If someone killed your whole famliy, perhaps that would change your mind.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#39)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 04:40:33 PM EST
    CHARLIEO You would not apply it to Osama bin laden?? If someone killed your whole family, perhaps that would change your mind.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#40)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 02, 2005 at 04:40:54 PM EST
    CHARLIEO You would not apply it to Osama bin laden?? If someone killed your whole family, perhaps that would change your opinions.

    Re: New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalt (none / 0) (#42)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Mar 04, 2005 at 08:47:08 AM EST
    I could give a crap about whether Osama bin Laden gets the death penalty or not. The crack about someone killing my whole family is just fricking stupid and ridiculous. I support an individual's right to use deadly force to defend themselves and their property. I don't support murder by the state. It's not a sanctity of life issue, it's a totally screwed up legal system issue to me. The so-called justice system in this country is so screwed up and flawed, I don't trust any government entity to execute anyone. Except George Bush. We all know he's a bigger criminal than Osama and he deserves to die.

    New Mexico House Votes to Abolish Death Penalty | 41 comments (41 topical)