The failure by a Fulton county jury on Friday to condemn Brian Nichols to death has revived efforts to lower the bar for the death penalty.
Nichols had pled guilty to killing 4 people, a judge a court reporter and two law enforcement officers in 2005. In Georgia a unanimous jury verdict is needed to die by lethal injection. In the Nichols case 3 jurors said he didn’t deserve to die.
Republican State Representative Tim Bearden says he will file legislation Tomorrow that would give a judge the power to impose the death penalty if a jury is deadlocked
"It would allow the judge to have the decision between 10-2 and 11 -1." Bearden says. He blieved the Nichols trial will benefit the legislation.
"I think it will have a ripple affect through the whole general assembly and
it will probably have an affect the bill."
Bearden co-sponsored a similar bill last year. It passed the state house but got stuck in a senate committee.
Human Right’s activists say Lawmakers should instead study the death penalty to see if it is cost effective and administered fairly in Georgia.
