LEBANON, PA — The debate over the death penalty has intensified in Pennsylvania, with House Bill 888 now seeking to eliminate capital punishment.
The measure has bipartisan support and was introduced by Pennsylvania legislator Russ Diamond, who expressed his political, social and economic concerns of the death penalty in an opinion piece this week in Facets of Life Substack.
In his piece, Diamond lays out the facts and historical context of the death penalty in Pennsylvania thus far, explaining that, in 1978, the death penalty in the state was reinstated following constitutional revisions required by the U.S. Supreme Court.
He explains Pennsylvania’s life sentence structure, where life imprisonment means life without the possibility of parole, meaning if a death sentence is imposed, “automatic direct appeals begin and voluntary appeals are available.”
Diamond adds that despite the legality of the death penalty in Pennsylvania, only three individuals have been executed since 1978, all of whom voluntarily waived their appeals.
Diamond’s piece raises philosophical and ethical concerns, objecting that capital punishment contradicts pro-life values. He argues the death penalty is not in alignment with the principle of self-defense, as “there is no element of self-defense in executing someone already in captivity.”
Diamond claims life imprisonment without the possibility of parole already neutralizes the threat of convicted individuals, suggesting execution is not required.
The Pennsylvania legislator also underscores practical issues regarding the death penalty, stressing the fallibility of the justice system, as capital punishment is irreversible and can result in tragic consequences.
“Thirteen individuals who had been sentenced to death in Pennsylvania were later exonerated, including one in 2024 after 27 years of incarceration,” Diamond emphasizes in his Facets of Life opinion.
He also sheds light on the economic costs of pursuing the death penalty, claiming it burdens taxpayers and diverts “resources away from victim support and crime prevention efforts,” citing a 2016 study by the Reading Eagle that shared the death penalty has cost taxpayers at least $816 million.
Diamond points out the absence of evidence supporting capital punishment as a deterrent, stating that murder rates appear to be higher in states that enact the death penalty than those without, according to statistics. There are more mass shootings in states with the death penalty, he cites.
Furthermore, Diamond stresses the systemic inequities regarding capital punishment, stating the “application of the death penalty can disproportionately affect people of color, those with limited financial resources, and individuals with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.”
Additionally, he emphasizes how jurors may misunderstand their choices due to misunderstanding that “the alternative to the death penalty is truly life in prison without the possibility of parole.”
Diamond cites a study by the Capital Jury Project, in which interviews with Pennsylvania capital jurors revealed a majority of them believed convicted murderers “would be released within nine to 19 years if sentenced to life imprisonment,” noting the incorrect assumptions that increased the likelihood of jurors choosing a death sentence, further perpetuating unjust sentencing.
He asserts this perpetuated cycle of violence “devalues human and life,” undermining efforts to build new cycles and cultures of hope.
Diamond points out political arguments, asserting conservative values that support limited governments should then inherently oppose the death penalty, and that granting the state the power to kill contradicts that initial principle.
“Having witnessed the…underhanded gaming of the electoral system in 2020, and the year-long weaponization of the justice system against President Trump, I’m not sure how any conservative or Republican can still trust government enough to award it the power to purposely terminate life,” Diamond said.
Rep. Diamond concludes his opinion piece by assuring House Bill 888 does not reflect his personal and political beliefs—it simply proposes a path forward to eliminate the death penalty in Pennsylvania by replacing it with life imprisonment without parole.
“Pursuing the death penalty is a moral minefield riddled with far too many flaws and excessive expense for taxpayers,” Diamond writes. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to abolish it.”
