O’Malley to commute death row sentences

Outgoing Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) will commute the sentences of Maryland’s four death row inmates, he announced Wednesday, effectively ending capital punishment in the state.

The four convicts will face life in prison without parole rather than the death penalty. Maryland lawmakers banned the death penalty two years ago, at O’Malley’s urging, and the four were the only remaining death row inmates in the state.

“In the final analysis, there is one truth that stands between and before all of us. That truth is this — few of us would ever wish for our children or grandchildren to kill another human being or to take part in the killing of another human being. The legislature has expressed this truth by abolishing the death penalty in Maryland,” O’Malley said in a statement. “For these reasons, I intend to commute Maryland’s four remaining death sentences to life without the possibility of parole.”

O’Malley will leave office in a few weeks, completing his second term. He’s said to be considering a presidential run, though he has publicly said it would be difficult to challenge former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton if she runs as expected.