Kentucky Senate passes bill to prevent mentally-ill receiving death sentence | FOX 56 News
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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Kentucky state lawmakers took up a bill putting new
restrictions on who can be given the death sentence on Friday. House Bill 269 is aimed at
protecting mentally-ill people. It would add four severe conditions to the list of disabilities that
would prevent them from being handed the death penalty.
“You can’t say we’re pro-life and then say ‘except.’ There’s no exception, all life has to be
precious,” Sen. Stephen Meredith (R-Leitchfield) said.
The bill would apply to capital crimes where the death penalty could be on the table. Some
death penalty supporters broke away to support protections for the mentally ill, while others
saw it as a slippery slope.
“| think we’re going to lose credibility in the pro-life movement if we start comparing a
convicted criminal, who is convicted of the most heinous crimes, who is convicted by a jury of
his peers with an innocent holy baby,” Sen. John Schickel (R-Union) said.
| High court: States must allow prayer, touch in executions >
The accused would have to prove having active symptoms at the time of the crime and a
documented history of it. A medically-confirmed diagnosis of either schizophrenia,
schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, delusional disorder is also required.
“It in no way absolves defendents of legal responsibilities for their crimes, they can still be
tried convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms including life without parole,” Sen. Julie
Raque Adams (R-Louisville) said.
Sen. John Schickel voted against the bill and argued the decision isn’t up to the Senate and
that each criminal case is unique
“No one wants to execute anyone with serious mental illness, but a jury can look at the
evidence and decide that for themselves,” he said.
https://foxlexington.com/news/politics/kentucky-senate-passes-bill-to-prevent-mentally-ill-receiving-death-sentence/#[3/27/2022 4:44:22 PM]
Kentucky Senate passes bill to prevent mentally-ill receiving death sentence | FOX 56 News
Schickel said in death penalty trials he’s experienced every effort is already made to not have
the death penalty.
Kentucky hasn’t carried out an execution since 2008.
| Read more of the latest Kentucky news >
The bill passed the Senate 29 to 9. If it is signed into law it would not be retroactive, meaning
it wouldn’t apply to the more than two dozen people currently on Kentucky’s death row.
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