Nebraska Governor Voices Support for a Capital Prosecution

The Omaha World-Herald reports, "Heineman: Prosecutors correct in seeking death penalty for Nikko Jenkins."  It's written by Paul Hammel.

Gov. Dave Heineman, a supporter of capital punishment, said Thursday that prosecutors are correct in seeking the death penalty for Nikko Jenkins, who is charged in connection with four recent slayings in Omaha.

The Republican governor, in a letter to Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, said he fully supports Kleine's decision to seek the death penalty for the “senseless murders.”

“As you know, Nebraska has authorized the death penalty for situations such as the senseless murders of Jorge Cajiga-Ruiz, Juan Uribe-Pena, Curtis Bradford and Andrea Kruger,” Heineman wrote.

“The movement to abolish the death penalty in our state would have us believe that capital punishment is unjust,” the governor wrote. “However ... I know that the vast majority of Nebraskans believe that the only just sentence for a criminal who has terrorized the community with repeated murders is death.”

Jenkins, 26, was released from prison on July 30, then is accused of embarking on a three-week killing spree.

This spring in the Legislature, lawmakers came close to passing a bill to repeal the death penalty. The measure appeared to have the votes necessary, 25 of 49 state senators, to repeal capital punishment, but lacked enough supporters to halt a filibuster or override an expected veto from the governor.

"Heineman supports death penalty in Omaha killings," is Lincoln Journal Star coverage.

Gov. Dave Heineman says he supports prosecutors' inclination to seek the death penalty for a man accused of carrying out a three-week killing rampage in and around Omaha last month.

Nikko Jenkins, 26, made his first court appearance in the case on Thursday. 

Douglas County Judge Joseph Caniglia ordered Jenkins held without bond on four counts of first-degree murder — one for each of his alleged victims — and set bond at $1 million for another man accused of supplying him with a gun.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine has told the Omaha World-Herald his office likely would seek the death penalty.

In a letter to Kleine on Thursday, Heineman, a Republican, said he would "fully support" such a decision.

Gov. Heineman's letter is available via the Journal Star.

Earlier coverage from Nebraska begins with lethal injection issues; also available, coverage of repeal legislation heard by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year.