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State Senator Joe Keaveny
District 4
For Immediate Release:
Jan. 14, 2015
Capitol Building, Room 333
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Contact: Stacy Morse
(573) 751-3599
Sen. Keaveny Files Legislation Examining
Costs of Administering Death Penalty in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY—Senator Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, again sponsored legislation, Senate Bill 240, this year that would require the State Auditor to issue a one-time report on the costs of administering the death penalty in Missouri.
This is the fifth time Sen. Keaveny has filed similar legislation examining the funds used in carrying out capital punishment.
He believes the people of Missouri have a right to know how much taxpayer dollars are expended carrying out the death penalty.
“This is the harshest punishment that we as a society can administer to a criminal. It is an irrevocable act that, whether you agree with it or not, carries high ethical obligations on the part of the criminal justice system and the government,” said Sen. Keaveny. “We need to know all the facts about the death penalty, including the costs associated with it. There has never been a study of that kind in this state. Ever. Taxpayers should know exactly what it costs them to sentence someone to death in Missouri, especially when we’re dealing with a budget based on a very limited amount of funds.”
The Death Penalty Information Center conducted a report regarding the death penalty in Colorado. The study found death penalty proceedings took six times as long as life without parole cases. Furthermore, the report noted that if the governor of Colorado had commuted the sentences of those on death row, the state would have generated an immediate savings of around $170 million annually, even with the punishment changed to life without parole.
There are currently more than 30 inmates on death row in Missouri. To view the list, click here or visit http://missourideathrow.com/current-inmates/.
In 2014, Missouri tied with Texas for executing the most inmates—10 in total for each state.
For more information on Sen. Keaveny’s sponsored legislation for the 2015 session, visit his official Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/keaveny.
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