Maryland Death Penalty: O’Malley Expected To Sign Repeal Passed Friday

Maryland became the 18th state to ban the death penalty Friday. The state's democrat-controlled General Assembly signed a bill to repeal the act of executing serious criminal offenders and progressive Governor Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the legislation when it reaches his desk.

Annapolis democrats argue the death penalty costs Maryland taxpayers too much money and that the process of execution can be "error-prone."

The five individuals on Maryland's death row will likely receive revised sentences of life in prison, if the Old Line State follows similar states' protocol. The last republican to hold statewide office, Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Jr., was the last to sign a death warrant of a prisoner, when Wesley Baker was executed in 2005.

In contrast, since 2010, Texas has executed 46 people.