Nebraska Repeals Death Penalty

Gov. Pete Ricketts, a first-term Republican, had vetoed legislation to repeal Nebraska’s death row.  Today, Nebraska became the first conservative state in more than 40 years to abolish the death penalty  when lawmakers boldly voted 30-19 to override the governor’s veto.

Nebraska has not executed anyone since 1997, and one of the 11 inmates on its death row died this week in prison, bringing those on death row in Nebraska to 10. Prisoner, Michael Ryan, had spent 30 years Nebraska’s death row, convicted for the 1985 cult killings of two people.

The news comes at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is in position to issue a major decision on capital punishment by lethal injection. The lethal injection has been used, and botched, and those states trying to get the concoction are having problems obtaining it.