Will Nebraska Examine Death Penalty Costs?

"Senators hear testimony on bill to study death penalty costs," is the title of JoAnne Young's report in today's Lincoln Journal Star.

The question of whether the Nebraska Legislature should embark on a study of the costs of the death penalty was addressed Wednesday in the Judiciary Committee.

During a debate on repealing the death penalty earlier this session, Omaha Sen. Brenda Council introduced an amendment to direct state Auditor Mike Foley to find and report on the costs. She argued capital punishment is the most inefficient use of tax dollars in fighting crime.

A responsible audit would include costs to the attorney general's office, the Department of Correctional Services, counties in which trials occur, appeals courts and district courts, she said.

Council decided later in debate to kill the bill (LB306) and introduce the amendment as a standalone bill to study the costs of the death penalty.

At a hearing Wednesday, Council said the aim of the standalone bill (LB1105) would be to set aside emotion and get a handle on the financial costs. The Legislature and executive branch talk a lot about transparency and accountability in government, she said, but many seem willing to exempt the death penalty from those standards.

The bill should be amended to have a researcher do the study rather than Foley, she said. That would reduce the cost significantly.

It also should include a comparison between a death penalty case and one with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, she indicated.

Jim Cunningham, with the Catholic Bishops of Nebraska, told the committee that learning the costs of capital punishment would be reasonable and legitimate. And, he said, it would help answer the question of whether having the death penalty is impeding progress on pursuing better ways to address violent crime.

Other issues the state should be looking at are more efficient law enforcement, solving cold cases, compensating crime victims and improving the corrections department, he said.

Earlier coverage from the Nebraska Legislature is here; Nebraska lethal injection coverage, here.