Kansas Senate again looks at abolishing state's death penalty

The Kansas Senate is again looking at abolishing the state's death penalty, unused since 1965.

But some lawmakers said they did not expect a repeal any time soon. Even though debating the death penalty has become an almost annual tradition in the Senate, opponents to capital punishment still face long odds.

The proposal before lawmakers this year would prohibit capital punishment for any crimes after July 1; crimes committed before that could still warrant execution, so the 10 men now on death row could still be put to death.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled 3 days of hearings this week to hear from supporters and opponents of capital punishment.

On Tuesday, it was the opponents turn. Bishop Michael Jackels of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita told the panel of lawmakers that life without parole was a more humane alternative to a death sentence.

"Capital punishment should be used only if there are no other means to protect the common good," he said.

"In today's world and especially in our country there is no need to impose the death penalty."

University of Colorado sociology professor Michael Radelet said there was little evidence that capital punishment deterred crime, and said the state would be better to spend its money catching criminals.

"If you really want to do something about crime and homicide in Kansas, do something about the 800 homicides that remain unsolved," Radelet said.

But that did not convince Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, an Independence Republican. Schmidt supports the death penalty, saying the statute was carefully crafted to reserve execution for the worst murderers.

Last year, opponents argued that the expensive legal appeals involved in capital cases made life in prison without parole a more fiscally responsible alternative.

A bill repealing the death penalty made it to the Senate floor, where it prompted 3 hours of passionate debate before Schmidt successfully sent the bill back for further study.

Supporters of the death penalty statute are to testify beginning today.

Source: Kansas City Star, January 19, 2010