Washington: US President Donald Trump announced that prosecutors will seek the death penalty in all murder cases occurring in Washington, D.C. This statement was made during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Trump emphasized the policy by stating, "Anybody murders something in the capital, capital punishment." He further clarified, "If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, D.C., we're going to be seeking the death penalty." Trump acknowledged the potential controversy of this approach, noting, "I don't know if we're ready for it in this country, but we have it is -- we have no choice. So in D.C., in Washington, states are going to have to make their own decision, but if somebody kills somebody, it's the death penalty, okay?"
The announcement was made shortly after the first murder in nearly two weeks was reported in D.C. Earlier this month, Trump had deployed federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to assist in combating crime in the city.
Currently, capital punishment is legal in 27 states, as noted by Cornell's Legal Information Institute. The federal government and US military also have provisions for the death penalty.