Former Governor of Maryland and Former Mayor of Baltimore
"Our nation was founded not on fear and retribution. It was born from higher things: freedom, justice, human dignity, and equal rights before the law. And so we must ask ourselves: Are these principles compatible with the "civil" taking of human life? Are these principles compatible with the very real risk of erroneously taking the life of an innocent neighbor? Can we credibly accept any criminal justice plan that does not commit to ending the death penalty for good? I believe the answer is clearly no. It is time that we, as a nation, abolish the death penalty for good."
