Missoula County opposes HB 713: Revise laws related to prosecution of death penalty cases requirements, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Judiciary Committee. Missoula County does not seek the death penalty and will not even if the statute is changed. Though the attorney general has some authority over county attorneys, this bill is taking a role that has been in the hands of local prosecutors and judges and designating it to the attorney general alone. This bill also makes it unclear whether the attorney general can order a county attorney to seek the death penalty if the county attorney disagrees.
Also, currently the County receives no funds from the attorney general’s office to help pay for witness or trial costs. Seeking the death penalty would impose a minimum of hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra costs, and we assume local counties, and therefore local property taxpayers, would have to cover these costs. While we understand this bill may appear to create some safeguards and transparency in seeking the death penalty, Missoula County opposes “fixing” something that is unethical and unconstitutional from the start.
Sent on 2/23:
ReplyDeleteRepresentatives Howell, France and Zephyr,
Missoula County opposes HB 713: Revise laws related to prosecution of death penalty cases requirements, up for hearing this afternoon in the House Judiciary Committee. Missoula County does not seek the death penalty and will not even if the statute is changed. Though the attorney general has some authority over county attorneys, this bill is taking a role that has been in the hands of local prosecutors and judges and designating it to the attorney general alone. This bill also makes it unclear whether the attorney general can order a county attorney to seek the death penalty if the county attorney disagrees.
Also, currently the County receives no funds from the attorney general’s office to help pay for witness or trial costs. Seeking the death penalty would impose a minimum of hundreds of thousands of dollars in extra costs, and we assume local counties, and therefore local property taxpayers, would have to cover these costs. While we understand this bill may appear to create some safeguards and transparency in seeking the death penalty, Missoula County opposes “fixing” something that is unethical and unconstitutional from the start.
Please oppose HB 713.