Nebraska abolishes death penalty in landmark override of governor's veto

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has abolished the death penalty in a landmark veto-override vote backed by a coalition of conservatives who oppose capital punishment.

Senators in the one-house Legislature voted 30-19 on Wednesday to override Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican who supports the death penalty.

The vote makes Nebraska the first traditionally conservative state to eliminate the punishment since North Dakota in 1973.

Nebraska joins 18 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning the ultimate punishment.

Last week, the measure passed in the state legislature with a 32-15 vote.

Some senators say they philosophically support the death penalty but are convinced the state will never carry out another execution because of legal hurdles.

In the state's history, 37 people have been put to death, the most recent in 1997. Eleven people are on Nebraska's death row.

The bill was introduced by independent Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has fought for four decades to repeal the death penalty.