Major Labor Unions Join Call to Abolish Pennsylvania’s Death Penalty
HARRISBURG, PA — Following the historic passage of House Bill 99 and House Bill 888 out of the House Judiciary Committee, Pennsylvanians Against the Death Penalty (PADP) joined forces with a growing coalition of organized labor to urge House Majority Leader Matt...
PennLive Opinion: Why four Supreme Court justices changed their minds on capital punishment
By Marshall Dayan The modern death penalty in the United States turned 50 on July 2, 2026. In Gregg v. Georgia, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty after having struck down 539 death sentences across the country...
Bills to Abolish the Death Penalty in PA Pass the House Judiciary Committee
"A Pennsylvania House committee on Monday passed a pair of bills that would abolish capital punishment in the commonwealth, potentially ending decades of limbo in which death sentences have been handed down but not carried out." “There are no take-backs,” with the...
PA Supreme Court Strikes Down Mandatory Life Sentences For Felony Murder
Today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without the possibility of parole for second degree murder violates the state constitution. Chief Justice Todd writes for the majority: "In this appeal by allowance, we granted allocatur to consider...
NYT Opinion: The Death Penalty Is Even More Horrifying Than You Think
By The Editorial Board The use of the death penalty has risen sharply in the United States, with more executions in 2025 than any year since 2009. It is a cruel and unjust development. In theory, the death penalty is reserved for “the worst of the worst.” In practice,...
PennLive Opinion: Pennsylvania prosecutors are using the death penalty as leverage — and that’s an abuse of power
By Jim Moreno Last month, Cumberland County District Attorney Seán M. McCormack resolved the 2021 killing of Kendell Jerome Cook at a Carlisle barbershop with a plea deal. Michael Anthony Baltimore Jr. admitted guilt and received 15 to 30 years for third-degree...