New Jersey Bans The Death Penalty

It has been widely reported over the last couple of weeks that the state of New Jersey was about to abolish the death penalty. Today, Governor Corzine signed into law the bill outlawing the punishment. New Jersey is the first state to ban the penalty since it was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976.

The state commission said that the use of the death penalty is, "inconsistent with evolving standards of decency."