House passes bill targeting police shootings

WASHINGTON – The House has approved legislation that makes killing a state or local police officer an aggravating factor juries would consider in death penalty cases.

Under current law, killing a federal law enforcement officer is already an aggravating factor in death penalty deliberations.

The bill’s supporters say it’s important to apply that standard to the murder of state and local law enforcement and other first responders, too, because it sends a message of accountability.

The vote was 271-143.

Some lawmakers and civil rights groups say the legislation ignores racial biases in the imposition of the death penalty.

They also call the legislation duplicative since the killing of any police officer likely meets one of the other 16 aggravating factors that federal juries already consider in death penalty cases.