Gov. Bill Richardson signs "culture of life" bill under pressure from Catholic bishops

[hedgehog]

New Mexico repealed its death penalty last week. It's the second state to eliminate executions since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

Much of the impetus for the repeal in New Mexico came from faith leaders who have been actively working together for a dozen years.


Two days before Richardson's deadline, Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Domestic Justice and Human Development Committee, wrote Richardson saying the legislation "would help begin building a culture of life in our country."



Richardson signed HB 285 into law at 6 p.m., six hours before it would have died.


http://www.stlbeacon.org/nation/death_penalty_repeal_how_it_happened_in_new_mexico