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Senators Seek to Reinstate Death Penalty

Elected officials and anti-death penalty advocates have called on the state Legi lature not to reinstate executions, which they contend are imposed disproportionately against Blacks, Latinos, the poor and the powerless. The New York State Court of Appeals ruled against capital punishment, but the state Senate has passed legislation to reinstate it. "The death penalty is an unjust and ineffective public policy that has put innocent people to death," said City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) at a news conference on the steps of City Hall last Thursday. "The death penalty has also been extremely expensive to administer," he said. "New York has spent $170 million since 1994 on the death penalty despite the fact that no executions have taken place." City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-Jackson Heights) said "for decades we have known of the undeniable racial disparities in the imposition of capital punishment. I wish to commend the court for their decision and ask the state Legislature to uphold this progressive and just ruling." Since the appeals court ordered the suspension of the death penalty in June, the state Senate passed legislation that would reinstate the capital sentence. . [more

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