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ASSEMBLYMAN FINCH AND COLLEAGUES PUSH DEATH PENALTY FOR COP KILLERS

     Assemblyman Gary D. Finch (R,C-Springport) today ridiculed the fact that the proposed state budget agreement reached late Tuesday contains $1.7 million in new funds for the capital defenders office, an agency dedicated to defending inmates on death row – even though the state no longer has a death penalty law.

     To solve the discrepancy, Assembly Republicans today proposed an amendment allowing for capital punishment for individuals convicted of murdering police or correction officers. However, the measure was rejected by majority Democrats.

     “I cannot fathom why nearly $2 million is appropriated to an agency to protect inmates on death row when there is no capital punishment law in place,” said Finch. “I have absolutely no problem with the agency or the
appropriation, so long as there is a capital punishment law in place. The answer to me is quite simple: allow eligibility for the death penalty to those individuals who recklessly take the lives of our police and correction officers.”

     The state Senate is expected to take a full vote on this issue, and Assembly Republicans are confident the measure would pass the Assembly if the house was allowed to vote on this legislation. The Assembly Codes
Committee defeated a separate Assembly Republican effort to reinstate the death penalty past year.

     “In December, I voted tough on crime and I will continue to do so,” said Finch. “Unfortunately, Speaker Sheldon Silver has found yet another way to spend taxpayers’ money instead of taking a stand to be tough on crime. By allowing for the possibility for individuals to receive the death penalty for murdering an officer in uniform, we are taking a stance against crime. I am honored to stand up for our police and correction officers.”

     Gov. George Pataki and state legislators in December passed and signed into law two bills that toughened illegal gun-trafficking laws as well as increased the penalties for violence against police officers. A proposal to include the death penalty as a possible sentence for those who murder police and correction officers was dropped when Democratic leaders would not budge, added Finch.

                                                                         -30-                                                                                     3/29/06