
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 12, 1994                   TAG: 9405120189
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Short

SENATE NARROWLY VOTES DOWN RACIAL JUSTICE ACT IN CRIME BILL

The Senate went on record Wednesday opposing a House crime bill section that would let death penalty defendants introduce racial statistics on capital punishment.

By a vote of 58-41, the Senate passed a non-binding resolution asking the House and Senate crime bill conferees to ``totally reject the so-called Racial Justice Act provision contained in the crime bill passed by the House.'' The conferees have not yet met.

Twenty Democrats joined 38 Republicans in voting to eliminate the provision, while six Republicans joined 35 Democrats in voting to retain it.

Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, R-N.Y., warned before the vote that the provision would be a ``poison pill'' that would bring down the crime bill if it were kept in.

by CNB