USA - Alabama. Death penalty moratorium bill moves toward Alabama Senate

Death penalty moratorium bill moves toward Alabama Senate. In a unanimous vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved SB 237 to create an Innocence Inquiry Commission to review capital murder convictions when new evidence of a convict's innocence emerges. The bill would also halt executions in Alabama until June 1, 2017. The committee's vote moves the bill to the full Senate for consideration. Only capital cases would be subject to review. The bill's sponsor is Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery. Brewbaker, a death penalty advocate, said a review of death penalty cases is needed to shore up the public's confidence in the death penalty. He cites recent exonerations of felons in Alabama, and notes that some other death penalty states, such as North Carolina, have review panels in place.