N Jersey to scrap death penalty
Washington, December 14, 2007
Lawmakers in the US state of New Jersey have approved a bill abolishing the death penalty.
In a 44-36 vote, the Democrat-run state assembly replaced the death sentence with life in prison without parole.
The bill is expected to be signed into law by Democratic Governor Jon Corzine - an opponent of the death penalty.
The move would make New Jersey the first US state to abolish capital punishment since the US Supreme Court reinstated executions in 1976.