Nebraska rejects new attempt to abolish death penalty

LINCOLN, Neb. – Three years after Nebraska voters reinstated the death penalty, lawmakers have rejected a new attempt to abolish the punishment.

Senators who want to outlaw capital punishment fell eight votes short Thursday of the support needed to advance the measure through a first-round vote. The measure stalled with 17 lawmakers voting in favour of it and 25 against. Seven senators didn’t vote.

Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, introduced the bill as he has done for more than four decades.

Lawmakers passed a repeal measure in 1979 but failed to override a gubernatorial veto. They passed one again in 2015 and overrode Gov. Pete Ricketts’ veto, but the issue was placed on the 2016 ballot and voters restored it.

Nebraska executed inmate Carrie Dean Moore by lethal injection last year.