Stallworth testifies in favor of abolishing death penalty

Stallworth testifies in favor of abolishing death penalty


State Rep. Charlie Stallworth testified in front of the legislature’s Judiciary
Committee in favor of Senate Bill #280 that seeks to replace the death penalty
for capital crimes with life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“There have been many cases where inmates put to death have been exonerated
after the fact, and across the country 140 innocent persons have been freed
from death row,” Stallworth said. “Studies show the manner in which the death
penalty is applied is racially biased with a minority being 6 times more likely
to receive the death penalty for crimes committed against whites.”

The bill seeks to replace the death penalty with a penalty of life imprisonment
without the possibility of release for certain murders committed on or after
the effective date passage. The bill is currently awaiting a vote in the
Judiciary Committee.

“I have no doubt that generations to come will look back at us and question how
we could condone a punishment so unfairly handed out,” Stallworth added.

(source: The Bridgeport News)