By Stu Johnson/KPR
Frankfort, KY – The American Bar Association is calling for a suspension of the death penalty in Kentucky. The ABA issued a four hundred page report following a two-year review by a Kentucky Assessment Team. The report shows of the last 78 people sentenced to death in the commonwealth, 50 had the death sentence overturned on appeal. Team co-chair Michael Mannheimer says the panel's aim is to fix the death penalty law, not abolish capital punishment.
"People can distinguish the question of whether we should have the death penalty or not from the question of whether we should implement the death penalty fairly and effectively."
Manhiemer's team suggests new regulations regarding proper preservation of all biological evidence in capital cases, best practices for law enforcement, and better pay for attorneys who defend indigent suspects. Some of the recommendations would take legislative action. Governor Beshear issued a statement saying the state remains under stay, and cannot implement execution protocol without further direction from the courts.