House Could Effectively ‘Abolish’ Death Penalty Today
Members of the Texas House are slated to debate and vote today on legislation effectively abolishing the death penalty in the Lone Star State. Brandon Waltens has the details.
House Bill 727 by State Rep. Toni Rose (D-Dallas) would exempt criminals found to have had a “severe mental illness” from capital punishment. According to the proposal, this is defined as a person who has schizophrenia, a schizoaffective disorder, or a bipolar disorder.
According to data from the Treatment Advocacy Center, 10 percent of all homicides in the United States are committed by individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. For mass killings, the percentage is approximately 33 percent.
The legislation was unanimously approved by the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, which is chaired by Democrat State Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso. Moody himself is a staunch opponent of the death penalty.
Representatives from the Texas Municipal Police Association, the Houston Police Officers Union, and Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells’ office are all opposed to Rose’s proposal.
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