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| N Jersey to scrap death penalty | N Jersey to scrap death penalty |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Lawmakers in the US state of New Jersey have approved a bill abolishing the death penalty. | 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. | 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 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. | |
| Campaigners say they hope the vote in the New Jersey Assembly will encourage opponents of the death penalty elsewhere in the US. | Campaigners say they hope the vote in the New Jersey Assembly will encourage opponents of the death penalty elsewhere in the US. |
| Thirty-six of the 49 other states have the death penalty. | Thirty-six of the 49 other states have the death penalty. |
| But fewer people were executed in America last year than at any time in over a decade. | But fewer people were executed in America last year than at any time in over a decade. |
| The US Supreme Court is currently considering a legal challenge against the use of lethal injections. | The US Supreme Court is currently considering a legal challenge against the use of lethal injections. |