Missouri bills seek moratorium, study on death penalty

Published: 2004-01-08

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- Bills seeking a moratorium and further study on the death penalty have been introduced in the new session of the Missouri General Assembly, which opened Jan. 7. Members of the Senate will consider a bill to put a moratorium on the death penalty, and a similar bill is expected to be introduced in the House. Democratic Sen. Mary Groves Bland, the Senate sponsor, has filed similar bills in the past. Republican Rep. Sherman Parker has said that he likely will sponsor a House bill. Bland's bill would create a nine-member commission to study all aspects of the death penalty as administered in Missouri. The commission would hold public hearings and review all charges of murder or voluntary manslaughter filed after 1977. All executions would be prohibited during the review. The commission would report its findings by Jan. 1, 2006, and make recommendations on modifications to state law to ensure adequacy of counsel, accuracy of findings of guilt, elimination of race disparity, fair court procedures, and fairness and consistency in charging and sentence recommendations by local prosecutors.

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