Michigan Capital Punishment Amendment (2016)
| Michigan Capital Punishment Amendment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 8, 2016 | |
| Topic Death penalty | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type Constitutional amendment | Origin State legislature |
| Voting on the Death Penalty |
|---|
|
| Ballot Measures |
| By state |
| By year |
| Not on ballot |
The Michigan Capital Punishment Amendment was not put on the November 8, 2016, ballot in Michigan as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.
The measure would have permitted the death penalty for "first degree murder of a peace officer," also known as a police officer, "or a corrections officer" while the officer was on duty.[1]
Text of measure
Constitutional changes
- See also: Article IV, Michigan Constitution
The proposed amendment was designed to amend Section 46 of Article IV of the Michigan Constitution. The following underlined text would be added by the proposed measure's approval:[1]
Background
Michigan was the first state to ban capital punishment, doing so in 1847, and was one of 18 states that prohibited the death penalty as of 2016.[3] The state was also the first government in the English-speaking world to prohibit the death penalty.[4]
Support
Supporters
The amendment was introduced into the Michigan Legislature by:[1]
- Sen. Virgil Smith (D-4)
- Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R-30)
- Sen. Mike Kowall (R-15)
Arguments
- Sen. Virgil Smith (D-4), who proposed the amendment, argued, "If you kill a cop, you're the most egregious criminal out there. If you're willing to go that far, there's no telling what you're willing to do. There should be no mercy at that point."[3]
Opposition
Opponents
- Sen. Rick Jones (R-24)[4]
- Michigan Catholic Conference
Arguments
- Sen. Rick Jones (R-24), who previously worked in the Eaton County Sheriff's Office and has been shot twice, said he is against the amendment because "occasionally the system makes a mistake." He continued, "We cannot dig a man up and say, 'Sorry, we made a mistake'..."[4]
- President and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference, Paul A. Long, said his organization is prepared to fight the amendment. He argued, "The death penalty is an antiquated and inhumane method of punishment representing nothing more than retaliation and more violence. It has no place in a civilized society."[4]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Michigan Constitution
To be placed on the ballot before voters, the proposed amendment must be agreed upon by two-thirds of the members elected to and serving in each chamber of the Michigan Legislature.
See also
External links
Additional reading
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Michigan Legislature, "Senate Joint Resolution G," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Detroit Free Press, "State senator pushes death penalty for cop killers," February 5, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 MLive, "Death penalty for cop killers? Michigan resolution calls for capital punishment," February 6, 2015
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State of Michigan Lansing (capital) |
|---|---|
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