A Kentucky lawmaker has crafted legislation that would abolish the death penalty in the commonwealth.Similar measures have been proposed intermittently over the past 25 years, but none have had enough support to pass. Now Democratic state representative Carl Rollins has posted a bill that has the support of anti-death penalty activists.Rev. Patrick Delahanty with the Kentucky Coalition To Abolish The Death Penalty says even though past attempts have failed, he senses growing support for the measure.The American Bar Association recommended Kentucky halt its executions in 2011. The ABA released a report showing the majority of the death sentences handed down since 1976 have ultimately been overturned on appeal. It also showed many of Kentucky’s public defenders who have represented those on death row were under-qualified and overworked.Under Rollins’ law, the most severe punishment possible would be life in prison without parole.Only 17 states have abolished the death penalty.
