Although a bill that would have repealed Maryland’s death penalty failed in a committee earlier this month in Annapolis, Prince George’s County Council might pass a resolution today supporting the legislation.
A state Senate committee defeated the proposal to ban executions in a 5-5 vote, meaning the death penalty will remain in Maryland for at least another year.
“I’m confident that in future General Assemblies the issue will be discussed,” Council Vice Chair David Harrington told The Examiner on Monday. Harrington, the resolution’s prime sponsor, wants his colleagues to move forward and pass it.
“I would hope it does,” said Harrington, who won’t be at today’s meeting. “But, I would understand that given the current state … the council may decide to hold it.”
Council Chair Camille Exum and Council Members Marilynn Bland, Samuel Dean and Eric Olson are co-sponsoring Harrington’s resolution calling for the elimination of the death penalty and the establishment of a life prison sentence without parole as the state’s highest penalty. There are nine people on the County Council.
Harrington said there are “huge gaps” in how penalties are distributed, correlating with race and class. “Perhaps,” Harrington said, “we need to look at other alternatives, rather than the death penalty.”
Dwight Cropp, an associate professor of public administration at The George Washington University, said if the council passes the resolution, it’s for “public consumption” because the state legislation has already failed.
“Clearly, because the state legislation has already [failed] for this year, it wouldn’t have a legislative impact,” Cropp said. “But it would have the public relations and political impact that Prince George’s politicians would want.”
Passing the legislation could be “grandstanding” atthis point, Cropp said. “It can also be an effort to inform their constituency as to their position on the issue,” he said. “That happens a lot.”
