USA - Maryland. Bill limiting death penalty use advances

Bill limiting death penalty use advances. The House Judiciary Committee voted 14-7 to approve a compromise bill that greatly tightens death penalty standards, paving the way for the bill's likely passage by the full House of Delegates next week. The bill restricts the death penalty to cases in which convictions are based on DNA evidence, videotaped evidence or a videotaped confession. The bill was approved by the Senate earlier this month (see March 5).