The bill passed the House of Delegates by an 82-54 vote, but was blocked by a threatened filibuster in the Senate even though the Senate' Judicial Proceedings Committee had approved it. The court's decision was hailed by Maryland Catholic Conference executive director Richard Dowling and others who worked to enact the moratorium measure. For the third time in four years, lawmakers have defeated an attempt to reinstate the death penalty, this time by a 94-60 vote in the House. The margin was much greater margin than in 1999 and 1997, when similar proposals lost by seven votes and one vote, respectively. Several legislators who had backed reinstatement in the past said their votes against it this time were influenced by the recent news that two men who served more than 35 years for a 1965 murder had their convictions reversed after it was found that the FBI office in Boston allegedly suppressed evidence pointing to the real killer.
Most people seem to think that is more rational and humane.
In a case tried under federal laws, which could have resulted in the imposition of the federal death penalty, Massachusetts nurse Kristen Gilbert was spared death when the federal jury could not agree on a death sentence. She had been convicted for murdering four patients at a U.S. veterans' hospital. Their request was rejected by the trial judge, who said it would be inappropriate to allow the trial to become a debate about the death penalty. By a 188-180 vote, the New Hampshire House defeated a move to repeal the state's death penalty law. Last year, the legislature passed such a bill, but it was vetoed by Gov. Jeanne Shaheen.