Politics & Government

NH Senate Supports Death Penalty Repeal In Veto-Proof Vote

The New Hampshire Senate voted in favor

New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord
New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord (Tony Schinella/Patch)

CONCORD, NH Death penalty repeal is on its way in New Hampshire as the Senate voted Thursday in a veto-proof majority in favor of the bill. Although Gov. Chris Sununu is expected to vote against the proposal, the Legislature appears to now have enough votes to override that veto. The House of Representatives had reached the veto-proof majority vote in favor of the bill last month.

According to the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Senate voted 17-6 in favor of House Bill 544, which would replace a death sentence with life in prison without chance of parole. Michael Addison, who is convicted of killing a Manchester police officer Michael Briggs in 2006, is the only inmate currently on death row in New Hampshire. The new law would not retroactively apply to him. No executions have taken place in New Hampshire since 1939.

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