WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The political battle to abolish the death penalty in the US state of Nebraska has become an issue of conscience for the state’s Senators, advocacy group Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Executive Director Stacy Anderson told Sputnik.
“At the end of the day, it’s an issue of conscience for senators,” Anderson said on Wednesday. “I believe the Governor [Pete] Ricketts has a principled stance on it, and I believe every elected official engaged on this issue.”
Anderson paid tribute to the colourful and impassioned speeches she has heard from the many of the Senators who have struggled with the issue.
“In 2013, it was clear the legislature had enough votes to pass the repeal, but not enough votes to end the filibuster,” Anderson said. “There’s a new group of Senators who have studied the issue very hard that have been able to gather the 33 votes necessary to end the filibuster, and actually pass the repeal.”
Anderson explained, “the risk of executing an innocent person is the number one issue I hear from Nebraskans.”
“Even if there is a small risk, she added, that person should spend time in prison.”
Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is a political organization supporting the abolition of the death penalty in the state legislature.
