Uncategorized | New Hampshire Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee heard testimony for nearly three hours from some two dozen witnesses on April 4, with pro-repeal speakers outnumbering anti-repeal speakers by a ratio of 7 to 1.

Pro-repeal witnesses included family members of homicide victims, criminal defense attorneys, current and former law enforcement and corrections officers, clergy members from various denominations, as well as the prime sponsor, Sen. Kevin Avard, and another senatorial sponsor, Sen. Martha Fuller Clark.

Barbara Keshen, who worked as a prosecutor in the NH Attorney General’s Office and later as a Public Defender, testified about the Elizabeth Knapp murder case, where all evidence seemed to point to a live-in boyfriend, who felt pressured to confess and would likely have been put on death row but for a single piece of DNA evidence identifying the actual perpetrator.

“The NH criminal justice system is not infallible. Mistakes have been made and will be continued to be made by well-meaning, highly trained, professional and diligent people. The risk of executing an innocent person may be small, but it is real,” Keshen said.

Richard Van Wickler, Superintendent of Cheshire County Department of Corrections, testified that New Hampshire and other US states which permit the death penalty “align themselves with the moral compass of countries like China, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.”

Anne Lyczak of Portsmouth NH, one of several murder victim family members who testified, summed up their consensus on this issue: “Some people argue that the death penalty will bring closure or comfort to family members, but use of the death penalty on the gunman who shot my husband would provide absolutely no benefit to me or my family.”

Former NH Supreme Court Justice Chuck Douglas offered his customary full-throated support of the death penalty, even offering an amendment to expand it to include hate crimes. (See his Fosters.com op-ed here.)

SB 593 next moves to the Executive Session the Criminal Justice Committee for a recommendation before coming before the full House of Representatives.

You can listen to the full hearing on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/UTYM1cEcRww

Here is WMUR’s coverage of the hearing.

Here is the Concord Monitor’s coverage.

Here is US News & World Report’s (AP’s) coverage (also picked up by Seacoast Online and the Union Leader).

Today, the NH Senate Passed Death Penalty Repeal by a Vote of 14-10

The NH Senate today deliberated nearly one hour before passing Senate Bill 593 with a bipartisan vote of 14-10. Watch the full debate and vote on YouTube here.

Those voting in favor were: Sen. Avard, Dist 12; Sen. Daniels, Dist 11; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; and Sen. Reagan, Dist 17.

Strong and often emotional arguments were heard on both sides. Repeal proponents centered on the argument that the rest of New England and the civilized Western world has abolished this practice, which does not in the end do the one thing victims most want: to have their loved ones back. The debate underscored the many legal, moral, and economic reasons for repealing the death penalty.

Senator Lou D’Allesandro, speaking in opposition to the bill, asked members of the Senate to remember the suffering family of slain Manchester Police Officer Michael Briggs.

Senator Ruth Ward, speaking for the bill, shared her story of losing her father when she was a child, and told how her mother promoted an attitude of forgiveness, leaving the ultimate fate of the perpetrator “in God’s hands.”

The last time the NH Senate passed a death penalty repeal bill was in 2000, which was later passed by the Republican-controlled House, only to fall to then-Governor Shaheen’s veto.

Thanks to everyone who wrote their Senators in recently days. We encourage you now go ahead and write another note of thanks for their courageous vote today.

The bill will move to the NH House for initial consideration by the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee later this month or early next, before coming before the full House for a vote, most likely sometime in April or early May.

Stay tuned.