Another idiot!

This is the same goofball that keeps wasting the legislature's time trying to push a bill for a second state bird, the Raven.

I completely support Senator Zirkin for his decision. Thank god HE, and not M. Sullivan, represent us!

I personally think it's a good idea to require a video taped confession to give somebody the death penalty. It is insane to think you can just go kill people for something that they don't really think they did.

I agree with those who are voting for the repeal. The system is broken and this is a step in the right direction.

There are such things as false confessions. What good does videotaping do under those circumstances?

Appreciate your perspective, but I'm glad that is not how the justice system actually works (unless you're in Texas or Alabama).

Not one of those on death row deserves to escape their penalty. They are guilty of their crimes (of which there is NO doubt, none). If executed they will not kill again, if that isn't a deterrent I don't know what is.

This is a tough issue no doubt and I am glad that Senator Zirkin made the decision that he did.

Killing them lets them take the easy way out. Let them rot in jail.

When you make a mistake and sentence someone for a crime, they do some time and get out. When you make a mistake with the death penalty, there is no coming back from that. I guess John L. believes that humans are infallible.

I agree with Dave and Christopher P. I just could not deal with killing someone who was later found to be innocent.

I support the Senator on his decision and pray for the bill's existence.

There is not one shred of 'doubt' about the five on death row. Facts proved these are the ones responsible for their deeds. There will never be a question of their guilt - infallible - not in these cases. no mistakes here at all. It is a shame we are what we are......lest you be their next victim........

Senator Zirkin said it so well. He would love to strangle them himself but he heard from those families who lost loved ones to murder and heard from them that the death penalty did not work for them

Mr. Green, may I respectfully ask, just who is taking your guns?

Time to bring frontier justice to Maryland. Let's start with Fido, the trembling little filthy mutt.

Instead of execution, why don't we have everyone hug it out?

If these "civilized" weepers want these scumbag criminals alive so badly, let's put the supermax prisons right next to the anti-death penalty crowd. Let them tremble in fear for the rest of their lives.

if without a reasonable doubt (video footage and or dna) then it should be an eye for an eye kill them! quit worrying about the less than 1 percent who are innocent,we are talking about the truly guilty, you know the loser who has raped or killed innocent people before.it costs app.$50,000 per prisoner per year to be allowed to "rot" by the way they get 3 meals a day free health and dental heat and air conditioning drugs.congical visits WOW!!! that will teach them a lesson(sarcasm)

Why aren't prisoners used for labor like picking up litter along the streets? I am sick of seeing all the trash everywhere and I can only do so much myself.

Crime stats will go way up now. O'smelly's gun control bill and no death penalty, come move to Maryland to be a career criminal.

This is not about saving or spending tax dollars; it is about justice and morality. The death penalty is wrong for several reasons. First, it is contrary to the teachings of the New Testament. Second, it does not serve to stop murder. Most true first degree murders are committed by persons that are irrational to begin with, and who would never weigh the consequences of their acts, or would just as well commit suicide, such as the situation with more common murder/suicides. Third, convictions for murder by juries and politically charged prosecutors do not reveal a reliable track record, given the gravity of the consequences of being wrong. Those who talk about the cost of implementing the death penalty have missed the point.

If it didn't take 20-30 YEARS to execute the people maybe just maybe it would be more effective. And way to go NAACP on playing the race card.I guess other races don't commit these crimes.And the Cardinal that said it would be closure for families, in my case Wrong !

I meant,It would not be Closure for some families

CP,
Whether you like it or not criminal laws are created to illicit two types of deterrence. The first is specific deterrence. In specific deterrence you are showing the individual that he or she doesn’t want to do whatever they did again. In the case of capital punishment this type of deterrence is clearly achieved because the criminal is dead. However, there is a second type of deterrence associated with criminal justice. It is known as general deterrence. As Curtis Coon stated, people on death row were not influenced or deterred from doing their crime by knowing the death penalty is an option for them. This is what Curtis Coon is referring to when he says capital punishment does not stop murderers. It does nothing to dissuade people from committing a future murder. These two types of deterrence are not “lib spin” that are key components of criminal law.

As for justicefourall (I’m actually laughing about your name because of your comment), you commented that we should “quit worrying about the less than 1 percent who are innocent”. Wow now that’s truly justice for all! Well we only killed a few innocent people so that’s OK.
I love it when people who are completely ignorant of the law spout off about how criminal law ought to be. If you want an eye for an eye, call your law makers and get them to change our American Criminal Justice System to reflect your perspective. I won’t hold my breath.

Let me get this straight:

Save a life when it comes to the death penalty, but let's not think twice about it when it comes to abortion.

Mudslinging time: Republicans: we care a crap load about your baby, right up until it has been born.

CP,

No copy and paste. That is all from my head from a philosophy of law class I took 15 years ago. You say, "Nothing will deter any criminal of anything". If that is the case why do I buy anything, why not just steal it? Why do I work a job when I could just rob someone of their money?

CP,
You've given me a conclusion... that my statement is FUBAR on so many levels. I'd like you to tell me why. You made the statement that "Nothing will deter any criminal of anything". So, I guess my question to you is, why do we have laws at all? I don't think that's an outrageous question in light of your statement.

Sure, let's just jail all the murderers and rapists. Lets send out the message it's okay to kill and rape because all that will happen to you is that we will pay your way for the rest of your life. That includes medical as well as educational, three meals a day, agym to work out in, cable TV, drugs and cell phones from the corrupt guards so you can carry on business, congical visits, and the list goes on. Yeah, let them live. I'm sure they didn't mean it. You know, it was their parents fault or the man down the street or the drugs or the mean kids at school...Get a grip people. Face reality and buck up....

With all of the budget cuts,we could save a lot of money putting death row people to there death. Why do the innocent people have the burden of paying to keep them alive.

Criminals today have more rights than the average person, they get free medical, and a 4 year college degree curdosity of the Maryland taxpayers. The also get 3 meals a day, fitness equipment, cable, all the comforts of home. The average person works 5-7 days a week to put food on the table, and these criminals screw the law abiding citizens and their families. Some of the criminals sitting on death row thought nothing about taking a life and destroying family dreams. Now Zirkin who is a token of O'Malley wants to give these murders a chance at life at taxpayers expense. I wonder if something happened to a politicians family member if they would feel the same way. The death penalty should not be taken off the books.

"Criminals today have more rights than the average person...." Which rights do they have that we don't? It seems like being incarcerated they actually lose a couple of rights.

Don't do the crime, and you don't have to do the time, Stay out of trouble and keep your nose clean and live a life like many people do. Get on drugs, steal, rob, kill and you loose your rights. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, Thou shalt, not steal, Thou shalt not kill. People are taught at a very young age right form wrong.
You screw up you pay the penalty, that's why we have laws, if we didn't, what kind of world would we live in?

Well one less vote from me. No instead of the State saying to the guy that kills me "take the deal and you wont get the death penalty" now they will have to go to trial and all of the appeals. Or he can take the new deal and get out in 11 years. Yep thats good justice and public safety! We already made it so you had to be caught red handed, have dna link you, or a on tape confession to be eligible for the death penalty. This is just bad... No horrible public policy.

Zirkin should be made to look at every death picture of a murder victim who were killed by these ANIMALS ! thats right ! ANIMALS !!! And everytime a person is murdered, every Politician who voted to repeal should get a lg envelope of the persons death pictures and the family of the murdered victim should spray RED PAINT on their sidewalk as a reminder of what they did.They have made it open season on the innocent who they deny the right to defend themselves.

The best arguement I heard anyone make was Sen Brochin about the plea deal. If the state seeks the death penalty now, it can offer the accused a plea bargain of life without parole. Now that is not possible and any plea will be what, life with parole? Or 20-30 years? That is a big mistake. I live in Zirkin's district and actually have voted for him as he ran unopposed. I'm guessing Owe'malley twisted his arm or promised him something in return for his vote.

keep an eye on bills that the weenie zirkin entered or any projects that he wants for his district.
slimey, yo'malley will amply reward him for this cowardly act.
the warren holuse murders occurred in PIKESVILLE, zirkins distrtict.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Grandison

Was Zirkin in office then?

"yo'malley"?? Did you think that up all by yourself? Wow! What rapier like wit!

Moe Green equals an angry unintelligent loser behind a computer screen. Not really worthy of the godfather. And Darrelll. Same for you buddy.

@christopher kidwell...Good! I'm Glad it's not. As prisoners they have no rights. And as long as they are proven Murderers and Rapists they should be put down as soon as possible. Of course as a paralegal I can imagine you want to keep that tax dollar flowing so you can bite off your share.....

Moments ago, Maryland's State Senate voted 27-20 to PASS legislation to end the death penalty!