Colo. House passes death penalty repeal

DENVER, April 22 (UPI) -- The Colorado House of Representatives has voted by the narrowest of margins to abolish the death penalty, using the savings to fund cold case investigations.

The measure must still pass the state Senate, The Denver Post reported Wednesday. Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat and former prosecutor, has not said he would sign it.

Rep. Edward Vigil, a Democrat, cast the vote Tuesday that put the bill over the top 33-32. He delayed almost a minute before deciding to approve the measure.

"Hopefully this will make us a better society in Colorado by not having a death penalty, though I have my reservations," Vigil said, explaining his vote.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the death penalty in 1976 while throwing out all existing laws, the majority of states have passed new legislation. Only one, New Jersey, has repealed its capital punishment law.

House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, a Democrat, argued that Colorado has executed only one person under its modern death penalty law while spending millions of dollars on appeals. Opponents of repeal argued that some crimes are so heinous that death is the only option.