Gov. Shapiro Reverses Course, Urges State To Abolish Death Penalty

PHILADELPHIA, PA — As Pennsylvania's attorney general, Gov. Josh Shapiro supported the death penalty for years. On Thursday he announced he'd changed his mind.

Speaking to criminal justice reform advocates at Mosaic Community Church in West Philadelphia, Shapiro acknowledged his longstanding support for the death penalty, but said that he changed his mind after deep reflection. Specifically, he said that he'd spoken to families of victims, victims, and numerous advocates for change.

"When the first capital cases came to my desk in the AG’s office, I found myself repeatedly unwilling to seek the death penalty," he told the gathered crowd. "When my son asked me why it as OK to kill someone as a punishment for killing someone, I couldn’t look him in the eye and explain why."

RELATED: PA Weighs Change To Death Penalty Law

Shapiro cited the families of the 11 people killed at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh as a key driver for his change of heart.

"They told me, that even after all the pain and anguish, they did not want the killer put to death," he added.

Shapiro vowed not to sign any executions during his term as governor, following in the footsteps of the policy of his predecessor, Gov. Tom Wolf. Shapiro also called on the state legislature to ban the death penalty outright.

A total of 23 states, along with the District of Columbia, have already outlawed the death penalty. While Pennsylvania does not outlaw capital punishment, only three individuals have been executed in Pennsylvania since 1976. The most recent was in 1999.

Shapiro's announcement is a notable shift for Democrat who consistently touted moderate stances throughout his campaign and who proudly shared Republican endorsements during his gubernatorial campaign against an unabashedly far-right candidate in State. Sen. Doug Mastriano.

The move was welcomed by figures on the left around the state. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner called it a "very welcome and encouraging evolution in his position."

Juries in Pennsylvania consider the death penalty after a first degree murder conviction. In order to impose it, juries must determine that the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors.

Supporters of the repeal argue that the death penalty is not a deterrent to murder, and that the lack of closure involved with a murderer being on death row for many years through the appeals process is more harmful to victims' families than a life sentence without parole.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, State Sens. Vincent Hughes and Nikil Saval, and State Rep. Rick Krajewski were also in attendance at Thursday's event in Philadelphia.