Nebraska lawmakers override governor's veto, repeal death penalty

Aamer Madhani | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Death penalty no longer an option in Nebraska Nebraska became the first conservative state in more than 40 years to abolish the death penalty on Wednesday when lawmakers boldly voted 30-19 to override the governor's veto.

Nebraska repealed the death penalty on Wednesday after state lawmakers voted to override Gov. Pete Rickett's veto.

The legislature managed to override the veto by slimmest of margins. A veto requires at least 30 of 49 senators to overturn a gubernatorial veto, and exactly 30 lawmakers did just that.

Nebraska joins 18 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning capital punishment.

The move by the legislature comes a day after Ricketts, a first-term Republican, vetoed the legislation passed earlier this month by the state legislature.

"My words cannot express how appalled I am that we have lost a critical tool to protect law enforcement and Nebraska families," Ricketts said in a statement. "While the legislature has lost touch with the citizens of Nebraska, I will continue to stand with Nebraskans and law enforcement on this important issue."

The unicameral legislature is technically nonpartisan but tilts conservative. The last time a traditionally-conservative legislature voted to overturn the death penalty was North Dakota in 1973.

Ricketts announced this month that the state has purchased two of the drugs that the state now lacks, but opponents have said they still aren't convinced Nebraska will be able to resume executions.

On Tuesday, Republican Attorney General Doug Peterson implored lawmakers to give state officials more time to prepare.

The repeal bill was introduced by independent Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has fought for nearly four decades to repeal the death penalty.

"We are a nation that is turning away from the death penalty," said Danielle Conrad, executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska, which advocated for the repeal. "This victory stands as a testament to what can happen in our sister states. Our work helped to identify what we were hearing and seeing on the ground and across the nation a majority of voters favor smart alternatives like life in prison that put public safety first."

Soon after the vote Wednesday, Sen. Beau McCoy announced that he was launching group called Nebraskans for Justice that would seek a ballot initiative to allow citizens to decide whether the death penalty should be legal in the state.

"With the formation of Nebraskans for Justice, I am standing with Nebraskans who are thoroughly disappointed with Nebraska Legislators who voted to end Nebraska's death penalty," McCoy said. "Once again, Nebraska's Legislature has gone against the wishes of an overwhelming number of Nebraskans who believe the death penalty should be in place for those who commit the most heinous crimes."

Nebraska currently has 10 inmates on death row. The state last carried out an execution 15 years ago by electrocution.

Nebraska has yet to carry out an execution under its current lethal injection protocol.

Contributing: Associated Press