Override the death penalty repeal veto

Jean K. Burling
Cornish
To the editor,

Next Thursday, the New Hampshire Legislature will deliberate and vote on the veto of HB 455, death penalty ban. After lengthy hearings and debate, the New Hampshire Legislature voted to end the imposition of a death penalty. A majority of New Hampshire citizens believe that the death penalty does not serve as a deterrent to murder, that innocent persons have been unjustly executed, making retrial or exoneration possible. Family and friends of a murder victims have spoken overwhelmingly that execution provides no comfort for survivors, because the loved one cannot be returned to them. Furthermore, the cost of constructing an death chamber to New Hampshire taxpayers would mean an expense of millions of dollars, notwithstanding the current controversy questioning the means of execution. As a penalty, life without parole is equivalently severe as the death penalty, and consequently our state authorities would not have to deal with the moral crisis of executing a person wrongly or who suffered inhumanely.

Please ask your representatives and senators to vote to override the governor’s veto the Thursday, May 23.

 

Jean K. Burling

Cornish

 

Burling is a retired New Hampshire Superior Court judge.