{"id":1249,"date":"2007-02-12T13:19:00","date_gmt":"2007-02-12T19:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/02\/house-to-debate-repeal-of-death-penalty\/"},"modified":"2007-02-12T13:19:00","modified_gmt":"2007-02-12T19:19:00","slug":"house-to-debate-repeal-of-death-penalty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/02\/house-to-debate-repeal-of-death-penalty\/","title":{"rendered":"House to debate repeal of death penalty"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I\u2019m going to try something a little different today. I\u2019m in Santa Fe<\/st1:city>, and the House of Representatives is about to begin debating a bill that would repeal the death penalty in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>. A similar bill passed the House in 2005 but died in the Senate. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\n

I\u2019m going to update this posting frequently throughout the debate to keep you up on what\u2019s being said. Check back often if you want updates, or read the posting again later for a comprehensive recap.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

If you want to know more about the bill, it\u2019s House Bill 190<\/a>, sponsored by Rep. Gail Chasey<\/a> of Albuquerque<\/st1:city><\/st1:place>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be putting new updates at the end of this posting, so when you check back scroll down to see if there is new information. It\u2019s about 12:20 p.m. now, and I\u2019ll begin each update with the current time.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 12:35 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

In her opening argument, Chasey said replacing the death penalty with a life-in-prison maximum punishment is a cause supported by many conservatives and liberals alike \u2013 some because of ideology, and others because they believe that, in practically, the death penalty isn\u2019t working. She cited statistics that showed that most people on death row are black, and most of the victims of those on death row are Anglo.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no rich people on death row,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

She pointed to a multitude of recent legal challenges to the practice of lethal injection across the nation. In response to a recent botched execution, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush recently put a temporary halt on executions while the state studies the issue.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> uses lethal injection to execute those on death row, and last did so in 2001 \u2013 the first time it had done so in more than 40 years.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 12:50 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as we continue to have the death penalty, the risk that we will execute innocent people is with us,\u201d Chasey said, after pointing out a man present at the hearing who was wrongly convicted and on death row in Florida<\/st1:state><\/st1:place> for a number of years.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\n

The man\u2019s conviction was overturned, making it possible for him to attend today\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Dan Foley<\/a>, R-Roswell and the minority whip, said he believes the House will pass the bill today, but pointed out that Chasey cited cases and statistics primarily from other states, and said that is because New Mexico<\/st1:state><\/st1:place> is careful about how it uses the death penalty.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He reminded his colleagues that the death penalty has been used in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> once in four decades.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been very cautious,\u201d he said. \u201cYou know, our neighbors to the east, Texas<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>, have instituted the express lane for the death penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe system in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> works,\u201d Foley said. \u201cWe have been very cautious, and very careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Foley opposes Chasey\u2019s legislation.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep.<\/st1:city> Antonio \u201cMoe\u201d Maestas<\/a>, D-Albuquerque, called the law that allows the death penalty in New Mexico an \u201carchaic law\u201d that has cost too much money.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cAside for morality and everything else, it just doesn\u2019t make sense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He said he agrees that some violent criminals deserve to die, but said \u201cthe issue\u2026 is not whether someone deserves to die, but whether the free people of New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> will grant (their) government the right to take a life.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis law is so 20th<\/sup> Century,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 1:05 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Keith Gardner<\/a>, R-Roswell, asked whether eliminating the death penalty would mean the maximum sentence in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> would be 30 years without the possibility of parole \u2013 the current definition of life in prison in the state.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chasey said the bill would change the definition of life in prison so that, in capital cases that currently are considered for the death penalty, the maximum sentence would instead be life in prison \u2013 the rest of a convicted killer\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

He opposes the bill.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe we\u2019re removing a tool for law enforcement,\u201d Gardner<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said. \u201c\u2026 Justice should have any price that we have to pay in order for it to take place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 1:10 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Antonio Lujan<\/a>, D-Las Cruces, supports Chasey\u2019s bill.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the only industrialized nation that still uses the death penalty,\u201d Lujan said.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. William \u201cBill\u201d Rehm<\/a>, R-Albuquerque, said people who end up on death row are vicious killers, and said he opposes the bill.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThese people are methodical murderers,\u201d he said. \u201c\u2026 The death penalty is a vital tool in the district attorney\u2019s tool chest. We must retain that tool for them to be allowed to use.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 1:25 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rehm has proposed an amendment that would change the bill to allow either the death penalty or life in prison without parole \u2013 a true life sentence \u2013 as options in capital-punishment cases.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rehm said he agrees with Chasey \u201cthat we need life in prison without parole, and that should be an option as sentencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Chasey objected to the amendment.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

House Minority Leader Tom Taylor<\/a> of Farmington<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said he supports the amendment, saying it gives judges options that should both be available.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Al Park<\/a>, D-Albuquerque, said the amendment is too major a change to the bill to be appropriate, saying it \u201cfundamentally guts the intent and purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

A motion to table the amendment and effectively kill it was approved on a vote of 40-28.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 1:35 p.m.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell<\/a>, R-Roswell, said a life-in-prison sentence instead of execution would be \u201ccruel and unusual punishment\u201d for victims.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a good deterrent,\u201d she said of the death penalty.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Ken Martinez<\/a>, D-Grants and the majority leader, praised Chasey for fighting to repeal the death penalty.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we give government more rights than we have as individuals, then we have placed government above the individual, and that\u2019s a dangerous path to go down,\u201d Martinez<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said. \u201cNo individual has a right to kill someone after they are no longer a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The House is about to vote on the bill.<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m going to try something a little different today. I\u2019m in Santa Fe, and the House of Representatives is about to begin debating a bill that would repeal the death penalty in New Mexico. A similar bill passed the House in 2005 but died in the Senate. I\u2019m going to update this posting frequently throughout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1249\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}