New Mexico Abolishes Death Penalty

Death Penalty Repeal in the Land of Enchantment

"The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty joins people
around the country and the world in celebrating New Mexico's death
penalty repeal. Like the wise legislators in New Jersey and New York
legislators who refused to revive their death penalty statute, New
Mexico's lawmakers concluded that they'd had enough of a system that
does not deter murders, is unfairly and unequally applied, risks
wrongful convictions, and diverts resources from more effective crime
fighting and from programs that serve murder victims' families.
Reviewing the flaws inherent in capital punishment, New Mexico's
legislators knew that they could no longer justify maintaining it.

Governor Richardson and New Mexico's lawmakers acted as responsible,
practical and pragmatic stewards of their constituents' ultimate well
being and tax dollars. Particularly, in these economic times,
government must take a careful look at all of its programs and policy
choices, and given limited resources, retain only what works and works
well. After taking a careful look, New Mexico concluded, as have other
states, that the death penalty drains resources from state coffers
which could otherwise be used for much-needed increases in budgets for
law enforcement, neighborhood policing, adult and juvenile crime
prevention, substance abuse treatment and counseling, as substance
abuse often leads to criminal activity, and murder victims' families'
support programs."