Abolishing the Death Penalty

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard emotional testimony on a bill from Sen. Dave Wanzenried (D-Missoula), that seeks to eliminate the death penalty in Montana, and replace it with the punishment of life in prison without parole.

Proponents of the measure spoke in great detail about the wide ranging reasons they support the measure. Much of the testimony focused on studies that show the death penalty does not act as a deterrent to crime. Other testimony centered on stories of people who were wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit and subsequently executed.

Many other supporters of the bill focused on the fiscal impact of the death penalty. It’s a well known fact that executing a person is far more expensive than imprisoning a person for the rest of their life. This particular argument might have significant resonance in this session, where many lawmakers are seeking ways to trim the state’s budget.

The committee will vote on the bill in coming days.