Colorado 22nd US state to ditch death penalty
COLORADO has abolished the death penalty, becoming the 22nd US state to repeal the punishment.
Gover nor Ja red Pol i s on Monday signed a bill to repeal the death penalt y and commuted the sentences of three men on deat h row to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Polis said the commutations “of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado, and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty cannot be, and never has been, administered equitably in the State of Colorado”.
Colorado has only carried out one execution since the death penalty was reinstated by the US Supreme Court in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Gary Lee Davis was put to death in 1997 by lethal injection for the 1986 rape and murder of a neighbor.
Color a do l a w ma k er s i n Februar y approved the bill to repea l t he deat h pena lt y, overcoming fierce opposition from Republicans who tried to sta ll t he vote, including by reading from t he Bible.
“While I understand that some victims agree with my decision and others disagree, I hope this decision provides clarity and certainty for them moving forward,” Polis said in a statement.
“The decision to commute these sentences was made to reflect what is now Colorado law, and done after a thorough outreach process to the victims and their families.”
Colorado District Attorney George Brauchler was among those criticising the abolition.
“There are a few in Colorado today who will cheer the sparing of the lives of these coldblooded murderers,” he said in a statement.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other death penalty abolitionists welcomed the move.
“In a ll the madness we are liv ing under, here is some terrific news. Colorado has now of f icia lly abolished t he death pena lt y,” ACLU just ice div ision director Udi Ofer said on Twitter.
“While we still need to get death row cleared, CO [Colorado] will no longer kill people as punishment,” Ofer said.
“Alleluia! I’m celebrating the citizen activists of Colorado who ... steadily changed hearts and minds to arrive at this lifeaffirming day,” anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean tweeted.
States around the US have been re-examining their use of the death penalty.
New Hampshire abolished it completely in 2019 and California’s governor last year declared a moratorium on executions as long as he is in office.