AG praises bill to speed up Kentucky death penalty process

Attorney General Russell Coleman urged the court to remove a barrier blocking legal executions in Kentucky.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Attorney General Russell Coleman commended the Kentucky House of Representatives and the state Senate for passing legislation aimed at cutting red tape in the state’s death penalty process.

Senate Bill 251, introduced by Steve West, R-Paris, allows the Kentucky Department of Corrections (KDOC) to establish execution procedures through internal policies and memorandums. This change exempts the department from formal administrative regulations, enabling a more efficient process and reducing prolonged delays.

The House approved the bill with a 68-23 vote, while the Senate passed it 27-9. The legislation now awaits action on Governor Beshear’s desk.

Currently, 24 inmates remain on Kentucky’s death row, with many having spent decades attempting to overturn sentences handed down by juries.

“Families of victims have waited far too long for their loved one’s killer to receive the justice lawfully decided by Kentucky juries,” Coleman said. “Through strong collaboration between our Office and the General Assembly, we will ensure this justice is delivered. Instead of continuing to rely on legal technicalities, I urge the Governor to sign this bill into law and then issue the death warrant for the killer of Powell County Sheriff Steve Bennett and Deputy Arthur Briscoe.”

“Senate Bill 251 is less about the death penalty itself and more about upholding the rule of law,” West said. “For years, Kentucky has stood apart because court rulings forced execution protocols into the administrative regulation process, leading to repeated litigation and delays. This bill fixes that issue by allowing the Department of Corrections to set protocols through internal policy, as most other states already do.”

The bill also mandates that KDOC publish all internal policies online.

Coleman’s office recently pushed for the dismissal of a 2006 case that has been central to a 15-year pause on executions in the state. If dismissed, it could clear the way for roughly a dozen executions to proceed.

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