NEW HAMPSHIRE (USA): SENATE REJECTS DEATH PENALTY REPEAL

May 22, 2014: The Senate has rejected a 2nd bid to repeal New Hampshire's death penalty.
The Senate took little time Thursday to reject repealing the death penalty, not wanting to debate the issue a second time this session. On a voice vote, the Senate refused to go along with the House and killed Senate Bill 202, which contained the death penalty repeal language from House Bill 1170, which remains on the table in the Senate after members deadlocked 12-12.
Last week, the House reiterated its desire to end the state’s death penalty.
The 1st bill stalled in the Senate on a 12-12 vote last month. The House then passed a 2nd bill repealing capital punishment which the Senate voted against on Thursday. The issue is done for the session; the state's death penalty statute remains unchanged.
Opponents of capital punishment said they are disappointed by the vote, but plan to bring up the repeal effort in a future legislative session.
The state's last execution was in 1939, when Howard Long was hanged for molesting and fatally beating a 10-year-old boy. (Source: Associated Press, unionleader.com, 22/05/2014)