A bill to abolish the death penalty has been filed by five Democrats in the state Senate.

Senate Bill 342 represents a quixotic quest; it isn't likely to gain much support from the Republican majority. But it also follows the Sept. 21 execution of Troy Anthony Davis, whose innocence claims attracted international attention despite his conviction in the killing of a Savannah police officer.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Lester Jackson, D-Savannah, states the death penalty "has become increasingly problematic as more persons convicted of serious crimes are being found innocent by new evidence, often years or decades after their sentence was imposed, and it is impossible to believe that such errors are limited to noncapital offenses."

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For years, civil rights groups and historians have criticized Stone Mountain Park's approach to memorializing the Civil War and Confederate history, including the world’s largest Confederate monument. (File/AJC)

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

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