Louisiana Death Penalty One Step Closer to Returning

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Louisiana currently has 58 people sitting on death row. The last person to be executed in Louisiana was convicted murderer and sex offender Gerald James Bordelon.  Bordelon was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of his 12-year-old step-daughter.  Bordelon waived his appeals asking to be executed, saying he would commit similar crimes if ever given the opportunity.  He was executed on January 7, 2010.

Why So Long Between Executions?

Former Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards was opposed to the death penalty and made efforts during his last days in office to all but empty death row, trying to commute the sentences of 56 of the then 57 death row inmates.

Executions across the country slowed when the drug, sodium thiopental became unavailable.  According to an article from Virginia Tech,

The drug shortage began in 2010 when Hospira, the only U.S. manufacturer of sodium thiopental—the anesthetic used in the first step of lethal injection—was forced to stop manufacturing the drug due to a production problem 

Instead of pursuing other methods of execution, Edwards used the shortage of the drugs used in lethal injection executions as a moratorium on executions in Louisiana.

New Legislators Enacting New Laws Expanding Execution Methods

But now, with a new governor in office, and a new super-majority in the Louisiana house and senate, Louisiana legislators on Friday passed a new bill to expand death penalty methods, including nitrogen, and the electric chair.

Author of the bill, Hammond Representative Nicholas Muscarello said:

“These have all been found legal by the Supreme Court and therefore we felt it was a viable option and we wanted to use every option available,” said Muscarello. “Ultimately the secretary for the Department of Corrections will have the ultimate decision.”

The House voted 71-29 in favor of the legislation, where it moves to the Senate for debate.  Not surprisingly, democrats opposed the bill.  Marrero Representative Kyle Green filed a bill last year to abolish the death penalty. He questioned Muscarello about whether the death penalty would actually reduce homicides. 

“That’s not the debate in my opinion, it’s the law of the land, we said we would condemn to death, we have to honor that commitment,.” said Muscarello. 

 

Muscarello’s bill also provides penalties for anyone that would publicize where the state obtained the drugs for an execution. 

“Seven other states have what’s called a drug shield statue that allows them to get the drugs and not reveal the source, this is not a novel concept,” said Muscarello. 

The bill heads to the Senate and will be debated during the second week of the special session.