Statement from Better Priorities Initiative on Abolition of the Death Penalty by the State of Nebraska
(ACLU of Colorado is a founding member of Better Priorities Initiative, a statewide coalition to end the death penalty in Colorado.)
“We applaud the state of Nebraska today for officially abolishing their death penalty. Their citizens and lawmakers have recognized that the death penalty is broken. It does not deter crime or make us safer. It prolongs the healing for victims and their families and is a costly drain on resources.
“Nebraska’s move to repeal their death penalty follows a nationwide trend away from capital punishment. Having a red state lead the way in abolition really demonstrates that this is not a partisan issue. Conservatives are becoming increasingly more concerned about the enormous cost of the death penalty and the dangers in trusting the government to carry out such a problematic punishment.
“We are encouraged by the bold move that Nebraska took today and hope that Colorado will be next to end this arbitrary system. It is time for our lawmakers to look at the facts. The death penalty just doesn’t make sense anymore. We should be focusing our time, money and resources on better priorities for our communities and the state of Colorado.”
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Better Priorities Initiative is a campaign dedicated to ending the death penalty in Colorado. We believe that the resources and money saved from ending capital punishment should be directed towards better priorities for the state of Colorado.
