A bill that would ban the death penalty for people with
mental illnesses has taken a step toward becoming law, according to WDRB-TV.
A state Senate committee approved Senate Bill 154 on
Thursday. The proposed legislation prohibits capital punishment for those who
have a documented history of severe mental disorders, including schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder, as well as severe depression and delusions.
The illness must have been diagnosed before the crime
was committed, said Sen. Julie Raque Adams, who is one of the bill's
sponsors.
"We don't use the death penalty on people who have a
low mental capacity," said Adams, a Republican from Louisville. "So
why would we want to kill somebody, or inflict the death penalty, on somebody
that really has no understanding and that diagnosis of a severe mental illness?
Why would we want to subject them to the death penalty, as well?"
The Kentucky Commonwealth's Attorneys Association
opposes Senate Bill 154, which now heads to the full Senate for a possible
vote.
To read more CLICK
HERE
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment