Democratic Lawmakers Protest Overnight Death Penalty Debate

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives are protesting efforts to open deliberations on reinstating the death penalty in the early morning hours after midnight without prior notice. House Republicans prepared Thursday to take up consideration of a bill to restore the death penalty for convicted killers of police, children and corrections officers. Democrats described the timing of the floor debate as a maneuver to avoid public scrutiny. New Mexico repealed the death penalty in 2009. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and allied lawmakers are pushing for stricter criminal sentences including the death penalty in response to the recent killing of two police officers and the sexual assault, killing and mutilation of a 10-year-old girl in Albuquerque. The Legislature is meeting in a special session to address a major budget shortfall.