TRENTON – Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, sponsor of the law enacted last year to abolish the death penalty in New Jersey and author of The Road to Abolition: How New Jersey Abolished the Death Penalty, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court approved the use of lethal injection to carry out executions.
“Now, more than ever, it is imperative that the 37 remaining states to still have the death penalty on their books, as well as the federal government, all do the right and moral thing by abolishing capital punishment.
“The Supreme Court ruling is an appalling greeting to Pope Benedict, a staunch opponent of the death penalty, as he visits our country. And, the ruling is a setback for all of us throughout this country who believe that justice can be achieved by imposing sentences of life in prison with no chance for parole.”
Senator Lesniak is a Democrat from Union County whose prolonged effort to abolish the death penalty came to fruition when Governor Corzine enacted his legislation on December 17, 2007.