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Delaware Lawmakers Set to Vote on Reinstating Death Penalty

amnestyusa.org

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The state House is poised to vote on bill reinstating Delaware's death penalty, which the state Supreme Court declared unconstitutional last year.

The bill was put on Thursday's House agenda just hours after it cleared the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Consideration of the legislation comes amid public outcry to the killing of a correctional officer during a prison riot and hostage taking in February, and the fatal shooting of a state trooper last week.

Chief sponsor Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, says he hasn't done a vote count but believes there is more support for the measure among House lawmakers now.

Opponents of the legislation argued that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime, is too costly, is applied in a racially biased manner against blacks and other minorities, and amounts to state-sponsored murder.

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.