|
By a vote of 13-9 the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment has recommended to abolish the death penalty in Maryland. The votes on the
individual issues studied by the Commission were not nearly as close
as the final tally suggests...
* By a vote of 20-1 the
Commissioners found that race and jurisdictional differences infect
capital cases in that state.
* By a vote of 17-4 that the death penalty
is not a deterrent to crime in Maryland.
* By a vote of 19-2 "[d]espite
the advance of forensic sciences, particularly DNA testing, the risk of
execution of an innocent person is a real possibility."
* By a vote of 20-1, the Commissioners additionally concluded that death
is harder on murder victims' family members than life without parole. DPIC has more.
Click here to downlad the full report:
http://www.goccp.org/capital-punishment/documents/death-penalty-commission-final-report.pdf
The basic findings of the Commission are as follows:
1. Racial disparities exist in Maryland's capital sentencing system.
2. Jurisdictional disparities exist in Maryland's capital sentencing system.
3. Due to a lack of research on socio-economic disparities in Maryland, the Commission does not reach a conclusion
on this matter.
4. The costs associated with cases in which a death sentence is sought are substantially higher than the costs
associated with cases in which a sentence of life without the possibility of parole is sought.
5. While both life without the possibility of parole and death penalty cases are extremely hard on families of victims,
the Commission finds that the effects of capital cases are more detrimental to families than are life without the
possibility of parole cases. The Commission recommends an increase of the services and resources already provided to
families of victims as recommended by the Victims' Subcommittee.
6. Despite the advance of forensic sciences, particularly DNA testing, the risk of execution of an innocent person is a
real possibility.
7. While DNA testing has become a widely accepted method for determining guilt or innocence, it does not eliminate
the risk of sentencing innocent persons to death since, in many cases, DNA evidence is not available and, even when
it is available, is subject to contamination or error at the scene of the offense or in the laboratory.
8. The Commission finds that there is no persuasive evidence that the death penalty deters homicides in Maryland.
Ultimate Recommendation: The Commission recommends abolition of capital punishment in the state of Maryland.
A minority report was also submitted saying that the death penalty should be retained as a sentencing option for horrific crimes.
|
