Highlights of the death penalty bill Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney filed as Massachusetts governor in 2005. The bill would have:
— Limited capital punishment to people convicted of terrorism, multiple murders, killing law enforcement officers and murder involving torture.
— Required conclusive scientific evidence, such as DNA, linking the suspect to the crime scene.
— Mandated a scientific review of the physical evidence before an execution was carried out.
— Established a "no doubt" standard which meant that even after a guilty verdict was rendered, the death penalty could not be imposed if any juror harbored the slightest doubt about the defendant's guilt.
— Required two trials, one to determine guilt and the second to decide whether to impose the death penalty.
— Required an automatic review by the Supreme Judicial Court.
— Barred the execution of anyone who was younger than 18 at the time of the crime.
— Required the creation of a list of "capital case qualified" defense attorneys to represent any defendant facing the death penalty.
— Created a commission to review complaints and investigate errors.
