Floor Amendments Preserve Death Penalty in Maryland (So Far) 3-03-09

Proving the point that committee work is best done in a standing committee and not on the Senate floor, the Senate approved two amendments to SB 279 - Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal that gutted the repeal provisions of the bill and substituted stricter requirements before the death penalty can be applied in a criminal case.

First, Senator James Brochin (D - Baltimore County) offered an amendment to strip the repeal provisions but to require that a defendant could not be sentenced to the death penalty solely on the basis of eyewitness evidence.  Under Brochin's heightened requirements, prosecutors would have to provide physical evidence in addition to any eyewitness testimony before the death penalty applied.  This amendment passed by a vote of 25 yeas and 21 nays.

Second, Senator Robert Zirkin (D - Baltimore County) offered an amendment that provided more specific requirements for physical evidence that must be introduced before a defendant can be sentenced to a death penalty.  The Zirkin provisions require that a prosecutor introduce either: (1) biological or DNA evidence; (2) a videotaped voluntary interrogation and confession of the defendant; or (3) a video-recording that conclusively links the defendant to the murder.  This amendment passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 12 nays.

After adoption of these amendments, action on additional amendments floundered as Senators requested an explanation of the impact of prior amendments.  When informed that the bill no longer contain repeal provisions, several anti-death penalty members expressed dismay at the course of the floor proceedings.

"What we are getting is a real mess!" bemoaned Senator Delores Kelly (D - Baltimore County).  President Pro Tem Nathaniel McFadden added, "This is not one of the high points" of the Maryland Senate.

After about an hour of tumoil on the Senate floor, Senator EJ Pipkin (R - Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's & Caroline) move to recommit the bill back to the Judicial Proceedings Committee.  The motion to recommit failed on a tie vote of 23 to 23.

When the next amendment was offered by Senator David Harrington (D - Prince George's), a motion was made by Senator Pipkin to lay the amendment over with the bill under the rules.  During the first 80 days of session, a motion to lay over until the next day is automatic. 

The Senate recessed and will re-convene to continue the death penalty floor action at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.

Unofficial Floor Votes on the Two Adopted Amendments

 

SEQ NO. 293                                 MAR  3, 2009      4:17 PM

                               Senate of Maryland

                              2009 Regular Session

             SB 279  Special Orders

                     Sen. Gladden

             Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal



  Floor Amendments BROCHIN /703826/2


      PRESIDING:  MR.PRESIDENT
      LEGISLATIVE DATE
      MAR 3, 2009

          25 YEAS  21 NAYS   0 EXC   1 NOT VOTING   0 EXCUSED (ABSENT)

      VOTING YEA - 25


       MR.PRESIDENT        EDWARDS             JACOBS                 MOONEY

       ASTLE                        GARAGIOLA           KASEMEYER         MUNSON

       BRINKLEY                  GLASSMAN            KITTLEMAN           ROBEY

       BROCHIN                   GREENIP                KLAUSMEIER         SIMONAIRE

       COLBURN                  HAINES                   KRAMER                 STOLTZFUS

       DELLA                        HARRIS                   MIDDLETON           STONE

       DYSON



      VOTING NAY - 21

       CONWAY              HARRINGTON          MADALENO            PIPKIN

       CURRIE                 JONES                      MCFADDEN            PUGH

       DEGRANGE         KELLEY                    MUSE                      RASKIN

       EXUM                     KING                         PETERS                  ROSAPEPE

       FROSH                  LENETT                    PINSKY                    ZIRKIN

       GLADDEN


      NOT VOTING - 1

       FOREHAND

      EXCUSED FROM VOTING - 0
      EXCUSED (ABSENT) - 0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEQ NO. 294                                 MAR  3, 2009      4:39 PM

                               Senate of Maryland
                              2009 Regular Session

             SB 279  Special Orders
                     Sen. Gladden
             Criminal Law - Death Penalty - Repeal

             Floor Amendments ZIRKIN /553820/3


  PRESIDING:  MR.PRESIDENT
      LEGISLATIVE DATE
      MAR 3, 2009

          33 YEAS  12 NAYS   0 EXC   2 NOT VOTING   0 EXCUSED (ABSENT)


      VOTING YEA - 33

       MR.PRESIDENT        EXUM                   KITTLEMAN           PUGH
       BRINKLEY                  FOREHAND         KRAMER                RASKIN
       COLBURN                  FROSH                  LENETT                 ROBEY
       CONWAY                    GLADDEN           MADALENO           ROSAPEPE
       CURRIE                      HARRINGTON       MCFADDEN         SIMONAIRE
       DEGRANGE              JACOBS                MUNSON               STOLTZFUS
       DELLA                       JONES                   PETERS                 STONE
       DYSON                       KING                      PINSKY                   ZIRKIN
       EDWARDS

      VOTING NAY - 12

       ASTLE                  GLASSMAN            HARRIS                    MIDDLETON
       BROCHIN             GREENIP                KASEMEYER           MOONEY
       GARAGIOLA        HAINES                   KLAUSMEIER          PIPKIN

      NOT VOTING - 2

       KELLEY              MUSE

      EXCUSED FROM VOTING - 0
      EXCUSED (ABSENT) - 0