PHOENIX (AP) - Gov. Jan Brewer has vetoed a bill that would have made drug or human smugglers convicted of murder eligible for the death penalty.
Brewer said in a veto letter Thursday that the language in parts of House Bill 2313 was overly broad and vague and that broadening death penalty eligibility would lead to a court challenge over its constitutionality.
The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the bill along party lines.
The bill by Republican Rep. Justin Pierce of Mesa adds smuggling or participating in or assisting a human smuggling organization to the list of crimes eligible for the death penalty. It also requires a judge to consider whether it is likely that a defendant would commit another crime and that he or she is a threat to society.
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