More than 20 years after it was reinstated after the election of Tom Kean as Governor, New Jersey has repealed a death penalty statute that it never used:
TRENTON — The New Jersey General Assembly approved a bill eliminating capital punishment on Thursday, clearing the way for Gov. Jon S. Corzine to sign the measure as early as Monday.
Mr. Corzine said he would act quickly. “It will be very, very prompt,” he said at a news conference on Thursday. “I’m sure it will be within the next week.”
Once he signs the bill, New Jersey will become the first state in the modern era of capital punishment to repeal the death penalty.
There are eight men sitting on death row in New Jersey; including Jesse Timmendequas, the man responsible for the death of Megan Kanka in 1994 in an incident that prompted the nationwide move for sex offender registries and notification. But New Jersey has not actually executed anyone in the quarter century that the death penalty on the books and, even if the law was not repealed, it’s unlikely that the state ever would.
Given that, having a death penalty seems rather pointless and keeping these eight men in prison for the rest of their lives seems a just punishment.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:24 am
i think that it is a stupid idea on our gov. part to get rid of the death penalty. and after reading this article it makes me feel so sick to my stomach . It seems like these 8 people are being let off the hook . I feel its a very stupid decision on his part and I really think he should sit down and think about what he is about to do and the people that lost loved ones because of those 8 people . Ask yourself this question . Where is the justice?
December 14th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Jennifer,
What’s the point of having a death penalty that’s never used ?
December 28th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
[...] Below the Beltway concedes the fairness of New Jersey’s repeal (here). [...]