House Committee Tables Death Penalty Bill In Delaware

DOVER — Days after supporters failed to muster enough support to move legislation repealing Delaware’s death penalty out of a House committee, opponents successfully tabled the measure Tuesday, making it more difficult to revive the bill this session.

However, supporters of death penalty repeal say they hopeto override the committee’s action by seeking the suspension of House rules to bring the bill up for a vote.

The bill narrowly passed the Senate at the end of March and moved to the 11-member House Judiciary Committee, which heard public testimony last week from advocates on both sides of the capital punishment debate.

At the close of that hearing a motion to table the bill failed. Milton Republican Rep. Stephen Smyk then attempted to make a motion to defeat the bill, but he was not recognized and the meeting was adjourned.

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