Senator Hennessey Applauds Senate Vote to Abolish the Death Penalty

April 11, 2019

Contact Name: Sara Persechino

Phone: (603) 271-3479

Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us

CONCORD—Today, the New Hampshire Senate voted 17-6 in favor of HB 455, which would repeal capital punishment and replace it with “life without the possibility of parole.”

Following the vote, Senator Martha Hennessey (D-Hanover) released the following statement:

“Today is a good day for justice in New Hampshire. I respect and am grateful for the many constituents and advocates who have shared their stories with the Legislature as we weigh this important decision. For many, myself included, the death penalty is an antiquated system of revenge that fails to help people heal or move on but instead perpetuates the cycle of grief. The stakes are simply too high when the state has the power to decide life and death, especially since the research shows capital punishment does not serve as a significant deterrent to crime.”