TAEDP編按: 美國新墨西哥州成為全美第十五個廢除死刑的州。新墨西哥州長Bill Richardson於2009年3月15日簽署了一個法案,以終身監禁不得假釋取代死刑。以下的新聞是由Death Penalty Focus所發出。
New Mexico Becomes the 15th State to Eliminate the Death Penalty
Other States Consider Taking Similar Action to Ease Budget Concerns
by Death Penalty Focus March 18, 2009
On March 18, 2009, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed H.B. 285, which is a bi-partisan bill that replaces the death penalty with permanent imprisonment. New Mexico is the fifteenth state to abandon capital punishment and the second state to do so legislatively in the last two years. New Jersey's legislature passed a similar bill in December 2007. At least ten other states have considered similar measures this year citing the significant savings that could result from ending the death penalty: Montana, Nebraska, Maryland, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Kansas are among them. Earlier this year, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley called on his state's legislature to end the death penalty citing both financial and ethical concerns.