HB 890 -- Death Penalty Commission

Sponsor:  Bland

This bill places a moratorium on all executions until January 1,
2006, and creates a Commission on the Death Penalty to study the
use of the death penalty.  The commission will consist of nine
members, including the state public defender, the Attorney
General, three members appointed by the Governor, two Senators
appointed by the Senate Pro Tem, and two Representatives
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.  The
commission will hire an executive director.  The commission will
study whether:

(1)  Persons sentenced to death are, in fact, guilty of the
crimes for which they have been convicted;

(2)  Adequate counsel is provided;

(3)  Race is a factor in the use of the death penalty;

(4)  Appellate and post-conviction procedures are adequate to
correct errors and injustices occurring at the trial level,
including access to evidence for forensic testing; and

(5)  Prosecutors throughout the state seek the death penalty in a
uniform fashion.

The commission must issue a report of its findings to the
Governor, General Assembly, and Supreme Court by January 1, 2006.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:14 am