Monday, July 2, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Signs Bill to Protect Safety of Missourians Who Carry Out Death Penalty Law
JEFFERSON CITY– Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation designed to protect the safety of those who help carry out Missouri's death penalty law.
"Protecting the safety of all Missourians is one of the most important jobs I have as governor," Gov. Blunt said. "Capital punishment works and is an effective deterrent to crime. This legislation will protect those Missourians who assist in fulfilling the state's execution process as directed by the courts."
"I am very pleased we will now have a bill in place which will allow the Department of Corrections and the state to carry out lethal injection," said Rep. Danie Moore. "The court-sanctioned protocol provides the most humane process for this administration of justice."
House Bill 820, sponsored by Rep. Danie Moore, keeps the identities of members of the execution team confidential. Any portion of a record that could identify a person as being a member of an execution team is privileged and will not be subject to subpoena or other means of legal compulsion for disclosure to any person or entity.
Under the law, a person may not knowingly disclose the identity of a current or former member of an execution team, without the approval of the Department of Corrections Director. It also prohibits a person from disclosing a record knowing that it could identify a person as being a member of an execution team. Any person whose identity is disclosed in violation of the law shall have a civil cause of action against a person who violates the law, and be entitled to recover actual and punitive damages.
The law also protects execution team members who are licensed by a board or department from being censured, reprimanded or suspended, because of his or her participation in a lawful execution. All members of the execution team are now entitled to coverage under the state legal expense fund.
"Missouri has executed 66 convicted murderers since 1989," said Department of Corrections Director Larry Crawford. "Our Department appreciates Governor Blunt's leadership, and we thank Sen. Kevin Engler and Rep. Danie Moore for their tireless efforts to pass this. It's crucial to protect our execution team from retribution."
"We absolutely support House Bill 820; we are in support of any bill that helps protect employees who work inside of a prison, especially those involved in the execution process," Missouri Corrections Officers Association (MOCOA) Executive Director Gary Gross said.
Gov. Blunt has been a strong supporter of public safety and recently signed a budget that reflects Missourians' values on public safety. It includes $160,600 for funding polygraph tests for indigent sex offenders on community supervision, more than $2 million for the next phase of Community Supervision Centers and $1.6 million to upgrade computer networks at various correctional centers across the state.