Gov. Richardson asking for public input on whether to sign death penalty abolition bill

As noted in this post, late Friday the New Mexico state legislature finally passed a bill to repeal the death penalty in that state.  Now, as detailed in this local story, Gov. Bill Richardson is actively seeking public input concerning whether he should sign the bill:

Gov. Bill Richardson, whose signature could abolish the death penalty in New Mexico, spoke publicly Saturday about his dilemma over signing the bill.

The governor said in the days after the attacks of 9-11, he supported the death penalty. But in the last couple of years, he says his thinking has started to change. “You see prosecutorial abuse, you see inmates that have been wrongly incarcerated, you see DNA evidence that’s faulty,” Richardson said.

Those doubts could play a role in Richardson’s decision to either sign or reject a bill passed by the New Mexico Senate Friday that would abolish the death penalty for life without parole. The governor has until Wednesday to decide. “I’ve struggled with this. It’s something probably that you get as governor once in a lifetime, so I want to make the right choice,” he said….

The governor said he is looking for the public’s input before he decides. “I want to hear compelling argument, factual arguments. I want to hear from the clergy-conscious arguments,” he said….

The governor’s office has been flooded with thousands of calls and e-mails on the issues, with opinion split evenly. Now, the governor says he wants to go face-to-face with voters. “We’re going to be available all weekend to hear from constituents,” he said. “I’m going to meet with constituents on Monday–anyone that wants to talk to me about this issue,” he said.

You can call the governor at 505-476-2225. You can also e-mail him through his website under the “contact the governor” link.