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Monday, Jul 16, 2012 8:15 AM UTC

Highlights of Romney’s death penalty bill in Mass.

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Topics: From the Wires,

Highlights of the death penalty bill Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney filed as Massachusetts governor in 2005. The bill would have:

— Limited capital punishment to people convicted of terrorism, multiple murders, killing law enforcement officers and murder involving torture.

— Required conclusive scientific evidence, such as DNA, linking the suspect to the crime scene.

— Mandated a scientific review of the physical evidence before an execution was carried out.

— Established a “no doubt” standard which meant that even after a guilty verdict was rendered, the death penalty could not be imposed if any juror harbored the slightest doubt about the defendant’s guilt.

— Required two trials, one to determine guilt and the second to decide whether to impose the death penalty.

— Required an automatic review by the Supreme Judicial Court.

— Barred the execution of anyone who was younger than 18 at the time of the crime.

— Required the creation of a list of “capital case qualified” defense attorneys to represent any defendant facing the death penalty.

— Created a commission to review complaints and investigate errors.

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