This is in response to the Sun Journal story, “Lawmaker urges death penalty” (Jan. 19).

Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, seeks to waste his time trying to push through the Maine Legislature a bill restoring the death penalty. It is the seventh attempt. I am sure his constituents would rather have him concentrate on more profitable projects, such as building a worthless new prison at the South Windham complex.

It is no wonder why the U.S. is referred to as a nation with the most incarcerated inmates. In case no one is counting, through the past 40 years, Maine has seen a steady increase in legislation voted into laws that either created a new crime or were an enhancement of a criminal penalty; 24 within that time period.

I am certain that career politician Diamond voted on his share of amended judiciary bills. With all the decades he has represented Maine, he should be aware that national studies through the years have provided ample evidence that the death penalty does not deter crime.

Why hasn’t federal jurisdiction introduced the amended death sentence? Even a caged inmate, such as I, is aware of that social nonsense conditioning.

Kevin J. Collins, Maine State Prison, Warren