White House officials would not answer what type of hypothetical case would involve the death penalty, referring questions to the Justice Department. In statements after Mr. Trump’s speech, the state’s two Democratic senators — Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan — said they generally supported many of Mr. Trump’s proposals. Neither senator’s statement directly addressed the president’s call for the death penalty for traffickers, but Ms. Hassan’s aides said that in comments earlier in the day, she had opposed the death penalty for traffickers. Civil liberties lawyers were highly critical of Mr. Trump’s endorsement of the death penalty for traffickers and said it would be unworkable. “The Supreme Court has consistently refused to sanction the use of the death penalty in crimes other than homicide.”

Source: New York Times March 19, 2018 17:03 UTC