House takes testimony on bill to abolish death penalty

After passing through the Senate, a House committee heard testimony today on a bill which would eliminate the death penalty in Washington.

Lawmakers heard passionate testimony like that of Lisa Ham, whose sister was a corrections officer that was killed by an inmate serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Monroe Correctional Complex.  Ham is strongly opposed to the bill.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson says he supports ending the death penalty and replacing the sentence with life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The bill is set for a vote in the House Judiciary Committee on Judiciary Thursday.  If the bill passes, Washington would be the 20th state to eliminate the death penalty.