Days after repeal, death penalty backers strategize next step

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers this week made the state the 19th to abolish the death penalty. Now it remains to be seen whether Nebraska will become the first to reverse a repeal with a citizen petition drive.

State Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha said Friday that he and others who want to reinstate capital punishment will meet this weekend to decide the next step on a petition drive. He said an announcement with more details should come next week.

“I would expect there to be a good number of current and former officeholders who lend their names and support to our effort,” McCoy said.

He deflected questions, however, about whether such a lineup would include former Gov. Dave Heineman and former State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, two ardent supporters of the death penalty.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/days-after-repeal-death-penalty-backers-strategize-next-step/article_0d1a8dba-06d0-11e5-8d97-476efd134eb7.html

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Do you expect the party of Death to give up so easily?

[justhanginon]

2. The blood lust of republicans never ceases to amaze!

Whether it is as a punishment or an ill conceived war, as long as it does not pertain to them personally they pursue their lust with a passion and damn the consequences. So grateful that neither I nor my family are of their ilk.

[CTyankee]

3. I think the budget considerations were at long last their downfall...

I know they don't care about racial inequities in the death penalty and I know they don't care about criminal justice reform. But this is now crowding out stuff they want in their budgets. And for no discernable difference. I also think their ranks are diminishing with age.

And, of course, the lack of that drug they can't get any more...thank you for reporting this Rachel Maddow...

[Nye Bevan]

5. Well.... unfortunately Democrats such as Obama and Hillary are all for the death penalty too.

So calling it the "blood lust of republicans" does not, unfortunately, tell the whole story.

[Dawson Leery]

4. Did you expect types of people

who brought genocide to Iraq to give up?