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Delaware Lawmakers Reject Death Penalty Repeal

amnestyusa.org

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Proponents of a defeated measure to abolish Delaware's death penalty say they'll continue fighting until capital punishment is outlawed.

The legislation failed Thursday in the state House, getting 16 of the 21 votes needed for passage. Twenty-three lawmakers voted against the bill, which cleared the Senate last year by a single vote.

Supporters said they would try to resurrect the measure after a five-week break for budget meetings.

Democratic Gov. Jack Markell has said he would sign the measure, which would not apply to inmates currently on death row. The state has 13 inmates on death row but does not have the necessary chemicals to carry out an execution if one were ordered.

Delaware is one of 31 states with the death penalty; 19 states and the District of Columbia have abolished it.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.