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Create State Task Force to Study the use of the Death Penalty in Kentucky: SUPPORT

We thank you for your help with promoting HCR 88. Time has run out and this bill is dead for this session. It is our understanding that the chair of House Judiciary Committee will try to have hearings on the death penalty during the interim.

MESSAGE LINE: 1-800-372-7181- EN ESPAÑOL 1-877-739-5556

HCR 88 - T. Burch

     Create a legislative task force on the death penalty; require the task force to study all aspects of the death penalty as currently administered in the Commonwealth; specify membership; require recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 31, 2007.
     Feb 7-introduced in House
     Feb 8-to Judiciary (H)
     Feb 14-posted in committee

WHY HCR 88 IS NEEDED

The use of the death penalty is a moral evil in our society and Kentucky's Bishops continue to press for its abolition and support HB 200 filed by State Representative Tom Burch. While that is not presently politically possible, there is a trend throughout the United States that finds the death penalty less acceptable. Polling data in Kentucky reported by the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty reveals that 67% of Kentuckians prefer other penalties for capital murder, with less than 1/3 choosing the death penalty. See www.kcadp.org.

New Jersey recently completed a thorough examination of the process there and those on the task force charged with reviewing its use have recommended that the New Jersey legislature repeal their statute and abolish the use of the death penalty there.

HCR 88 creates a task force for the legislative branch of government and requires a study similar to the New Jersey study. It calls for 18 members representing victim's groups, the religious community, lawyers from both the defense and prosecution, retired judges, State Senators and State Representatives - a balanced group staffed by the Legislative Research Commission.

This is not the first instance in Kentucky for a study of this sort. In 1965 Governor Ned Breathitt established and executive branch study by a panel balanced in much the same way as the one proposed now. To read more about this visit the website of the Kentucky Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and view these documents:

For additional information about the Church's teaching on the death penalty, visit the special website for the Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty and Catholics Against Capital Punishment.

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Last modified: April, 2008