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Springfield, MA – An anti-death penalty activist in Massachusetts says the execution of Troy Davis is a reminder of the need to keep capital punishment out of the state. WAMC's Paul Tuthill reports...
Jeff Napolitano, the western Massachusetts director for the American Friends Service Committee says the execution of Troy Davis in Georgia marks a milestone in the debate over capital punishment.
"This case is a particularly egregious case that demonstrates how wrong the death penalty is, and how flawed our justice system actually is," said Napolitano.
Candle light vigils organized by death penalty opponents drew hundreds Wednesday night in Northampton and Amherst.
Massachusetts has not had a death penalty since 1980, when it was struck down by the state's highest court. A serious attempt to reinstate capital punishment in Massachusetts has not occurred in years.
A bill to establish a death penalty was filed in January by House Republican Leader Bradley Jones. It was sent to the Judiciary Committee. No hearing has been scheduled.
Paul Tuthill, WAMC News.