"Restrictions on death penalty move forward in House," is Julie Bykowicz' report for the Baltimore Sun.
Several delegates rose in objection to what they said was an effort by Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat who opposes the death penalty, to silence their chamber. O'Malley asked a House committee earlier this month to pass restrictions adopted earlier by the Senate without amending them. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Democrat and death penalty supporter, said his chamber would not debate capital punishment again this session.
"This flies in the face of the bicameral process," said Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the minority leader from Southern Maryland. "If the governor is going to decide the laws of the state ... we could just stay home and he could dictate to us."
Doubtful delegates groaned when Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg, a Baltimore Democrat who worked with O'Malley on death penalty reform, tried to assure his colleagues that "there is no diktat from the second floor," where the governor has his office.
John Wagner writes, "Md. House Set to Send Death Penalty Bill to Governor," for the Washington Post.
The Maryland House of Delegates is poised to send a bill to Gov. Martin O'Malley that would tighten evidence standards in death penalty cases after rejecting a half-dozen Republican amendments this morning that sought to broaden the legislation.
A final vote could come as early as tomorrow on the bill, which would require biological or DNA evidence, a videotape linking the defendant to a murder or a videotaped confession to proceed with capital cases. O'Malley (D), who unsuccessfully sought to repeal the death penalty this session, has indicated he will sign the bill.
Republicans today sought to add several categories of evidence that could make a case eligible for the death penalty, including fingerprints, and audiotaped and photographic evidence. Another failed amendment would have allowed capital punishment for contract killings, even if the new evidence standards are not met.
Supporters of the bill, which previously passed the Senate, urged their House colleagues not to accept any changes. Amendments would send the bill back to the Senate, and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) has indicated his chamber is done debating the death penalty this year.
"This bill as it now sits is a significant improvement," said Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore), a death penalty opponent who argued the new restrictions would make it less likely that the state would put an innocent person to death.
Earlier coverage from Maryland is here.
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