Death-penalty opponents seek its abolition in Arkansas

— Opponents of the death penalty are asking Arkansas lawmakers to abolish capital punishment after the state Supreme Court threw out a lethal injection law last year.

Academics, ministers and a former death-row inmate spoke out against capital punishment during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Wednesday.

Their testimony comes two weeks after Gov. Mike Beebe said he would sign legislation outlawing capital punishment.

So far, no lawmakers have proposed abolishing the death penalty.

However, Republican Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs has filed a bill that would change the 2009 lethal-injection law the Arkansas Supreme Court struck down last year.

The high court sided with some death-row inmates who said the 2009 law violated part of the state’s constitution that deals with separating the branches of government.

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