Lasee Pessimistic Death Penalty Will Come Back Despite Referendum

State Sen. Alan Lasee, who led the push to get the death penalty referendum on the ballot, said he did not expect legislation to reintroduce the death penalty to pass despite a solid margin election night.

"Not with Jim Doyle being re-elected," said Lasee, R-Rockland. "So, I'm not really going to spend a lot of political capital on this."

Doyle is opposed to the death penalty and is expected to veto any legislation to bring it back in Wisconsin.

The referendum appeared headed for victory early Wednesday morning. With about 60 percent of the vote counted shortly after midnight, the tally was about 55 percent in favor vs. 45 percent opposed.

Sachin Chheda, representing death penalty opponents, said he was not disappointed with the vote.

"If the percentages stay the same, this will be a victory for common sense because when this was put forward earlier, polls showed it ahead by 60 percent," he said, adding he believed the debate in the Legislature would turn people against the death penalty as they learned more about the financial and moral implications.

Lasee said the results were in line with what he expected, saying they were a "barometer" for how people in Wisconsin feel about the issue. And while he said he would introduce a capital punishment bill next year, he was not confident it would become law.

"I think I'm obligated by the poll results," he said. "But even if we passed it, Doyle would not sign it."

-- By Brian E. Clark