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Bill would bar death penalty where sole evidence is a single eyewitness; committee hears testimony
Summary
HB682 would prohibit imposing the death penalty when the only evidence is a single eyewitness account; sponsor argued single‑witness identification is unreliable and the measure received a hearing only.
Representative Mitchell presented HB682 (LC481522) to prevent the death penalty from being imposed when the only evidence supporting a capital sentence is testimony from one eyewitness. Sponsor cited research and examples emphasizing the documented unreliability of single eyewitness identifications and noted other states are considering similar reforms.
A witness, Brooke Mills, urged support on moral and historical grounds; members asked technical questions on how the bill would interact with existing evidentiary safeguards such as lineups and recordings. The committee held the bill as a hearing item to allow additional study.
What happens next: HB682 is scheduled for further consideration; stakeholders and counsel will work on technical evidence‑procedure language.
