Mayes votes to repeal the death penalty in PA

99 Pennsylvanians are currently on death row

Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes    October 31, 2023 | 1:06 PM

HARRISBURG, Oct. 31 – State Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny said the PA House Judiciary Committee today advanced legislation that would repeal the death penalty in Pennsylvania.

After committee consideration of the bill, Mayes, who voted in support of advancing it to the full House, applauded state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., for introducing the legislation and for his work to repeal the death penalty in Pennsylvania. 

“Thousands of Americans have been wrongfully convicted since 1989 and at least 195 Americans have been wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, and exonerated,” Mayes said. “To prevent deaths of those wrongfully convicted, we must repeal the death penalty in Pennsylvania. Instead, we must acknowledge that our criminal justice system is broken and routinely renders grave injustice based on race, income and life circumstance.”

The bill was reported out of committee by a vote of 14-11. It now advances to the full House. 

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