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Bill To Abolish Death Penalty Heads to Senate Floor

Wallis Watkins

In a meeting of a Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Representative Terry Landry (D-New Iberia) presented Senator Dan Claitor's (R-Baton Rouge) bill to eliminate the death penalty in Louisiana. 

Credit Wallis Watkins

“I just believe that this is a fundamentally bad act," says Landry, "that has outlived it’s time for many reasons, economically, morally. But the risk of executing one person that is innocent to me is enough to put a moratorium on this death penalty.”

Landry, a former Louisiana State Police superintendent, is carrying a similar bill in the House, along with Representative Steve Pylant (R-Winnsboro), former Sheriff in Franklin Parish.

“You might find it odd that you’d see my name on a bill to abolish the death penalty," says Pylant, "when in fact I support the death penalty. But, under the present state we’re in the state of Louisiana, it seems we’ve lost the will to carry out those executions.”

Claitor says in addition to losing the will, Louisiana has apparently also lost the way -- financially and medicinally -- to execute those convicted of capital offenses.

“Over the last ten years, we’ve spent more than one hundred million dollars and have one body to show for it and it was a volunteer,” he says, alluding to the 2010 execution of Gerald Bordelon, who waived his right to appeal.

Some District Attorneys as well as some members of law enforcement oppose the bill, which would only apply to convictions after August 1, 2017.

Six members voted for the bill.  Senator Bodi White (R-Baton Rouge) was the lone vote against.

“It’s not my job to forgive those people that commit murder. My job is to represent those 130,000 people that sent me up here,” explains White.

The bill is now headed to the full Senate.

Copyright 2017 WRKF

Wallis Watkins is a Baton Rouge native. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from Louisiana State University in 2013. Soon after, she joined WRKF as an intern and is now reporting on health and health policy for Louisiana's Prescription.