State lawmakers to debate death penalty on Oct. 25

State Sens. Colby Coash and Beau McCoy will debate the death penalty in Nebraska in an event from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Nebraska Union’s Centennial Room.

The debate, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Thomas C. Sorensen Policy Seminar Series.

State lawmakers abolished capital punishment in 2015, but a successful petition drive has brought the issue to voters on the November ballot.

Coash has represented District 27 since 2008. He has been the chair of various committees, most recently the Special Investigative Committee on Developmental Disabilities. He lives in Lincoln and works in leadership development in Nebraska and surrounding states. He opposes the death penalty.

McCoy has represented District 39 since 2008. He is the chair of the Committee on Committees and is on the Government Committee and the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. He is also the national chair of The Council of State Governments. He lives in Omaha and is a former home improvement contractor. He supports the death penalty.

NET reporter and producer Fred Knapp will moderate the debate.

The event is sponsored by the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, Center for Civic Engagement, Department of Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

For more information, contact Tarik Abdel-Monem at 402-472-3147 or tarik@unl.edu.