Maryland Poised To Ban Death Penalty

Maryland's House of Delegates voted Friday to repeal the state's death penalty and sent the bill to Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat who initially sponsored it.

The legislation cleared the state Senate last week, reports the Baltimore Sun .

Maryland would become the nation's 18th state to formally ban capital punishment. Connecticut banned it in 2012. Oregon and New Mexico have also banned it in recent years. In November, California voters opted to retain the death penalty.