Governor Jared Polis on March 23, 2020, signed the legislation which ended the Colorado death penalty. They became the twenty-second abolitionist state overall and the tenth to end the death penalty since 2007.
credit: Death Penalty Information Center
A failed policy
Republican Senator Jack Tate used to support the death penalty. This year he signed on as a lead sponsor of the bill.
Senator Tate described his change of heart on the issue. “I believe we should promote public policies that make our communities safer and provide victims with the services they need….The death penalty fails to do those things while also risking innocent lives. My experience shows it is an ineffective and expensive system, and my philosophical stance is that the state should not have the power of life and death.”
We extend our congratulations to the many Colorado residents and organizations who have worked so hard for so long to make this victory possible.
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