The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
May 3, 2013

Maryland Repeals Death Penalty, Legalizes Medical Marijuana 
------------------------------------------------------------


 
Maryland has become the sixth state in as many years and the 18th state
overall to ban the death penalty. Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley
signed a repeal of capital punishment into law Thursday following its
passage by state lawmakers last month. The law replaces death sentences
with life terms without the chance of parole, but not for the five
prisoners already sent to death row. In a statement, Human Rights Watch
said: "[Governor] O’Malley should ensure that the death penalty is
never again used in Maryland by immediately commuting the sentences of
all five death row inmates." At the signing ceremony, O'Malley also
enacted dozens of other laws, including the legalization of medical
marijuana, an expansion of early voting, and allowing driver’s
licenses for undocumented immigrants.

 

.