Kansas To Consider Ending Death Penalty

Early next year, the Kansas legislature will consider legislation that will end the death penalty.  The first hearing is scheduled for January 19.  The Kansas Judicial Council advisory committee made up of judges, prosecutors, lawmakers and defense attorneys has drafted legislation that seems to be gaining support in Kansas.  The high costs associated with seeking the death penalty seems to be emerging as an important factor in the Kansas effort to eliminate the death penalty.  Studies show that it costs much more to seek and carry out the death penalty than life in prison.  In Kansas, the legal costs are four times more than not seeking the death penalty.  And once an inmate is sentenced to death, it costs more to house them in an isolation cell than regular population.  Last year 11 states considered legislation to abolish the death penalty and New Mexico became the 15th state to eliminate it.   This news comes after our recent post which discussed the declining number of executions and death sentences being carried out.

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