Nebraska governor vetoes bill abolishing death penalty; are there enough votes for an override?
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Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Tuesday vetoed a bill abolishing the death penalty in the state, saying capital punishment “is a matter of public safety.”
In the final vote on the bill, the legislature had two votes more than needed to override the veto, but Ricketts is trying to persuade lawmakers who voted yes to change their votes, report the New York Times, the Lincoln Journal Star and the Omaha World-Herald.
One state senator, Jerry Johnson of Wahoo, has announced he will change his vote to support the governor’s veto.
When announcing his veto, Ricketts said prosecutors need capital punishment as a tool to put hardened criminals behind bars, and to protect prison guards at risk from dangerous inmates who would face no additional sanctions for murders committed in prison.
Hat tip to How Appealing.
See also:
ABA Journal: “Faith and fiscal responsibility cause many conservatives to change their view of the death penalty”
