UNION — Senator Raymond Lesniak released the following statement on New Mexico’s abolition of the death penalty:
“I applaud Governor Bill Richardson and the members of the New Mexico State Legislature for recognizing that no good comes from the death penalty. As New Jersey decided in 2007, capital punishment exposes the innocent to execution, causes more suffering for the family members of murder victims, serves no penal purpose and detracts from society’s efforts to address the serious problems of crime and the effectiveness of our prison system.
“I am proud the Garden State led the way by abolishing our death penalty statute, and I am pleased to welcome New Mexico as the second state to abolish the death penalty since the Supreme Court reinstated it in 1976. I hope Governor Richardson’s actions today will serve as an example for the 35 other states, and the federal government, that continue to practice capital punishment.”