Senator Carolyn McGinn of Kansas (pictured) recently published an op-ed calling for an end to the death penalty because it is too costly and does not benefit the people. Sen. McGinn, a Republican from Sedgwick, is the sponsor of a bill that would replace the death penalty with a sentence of life without parole.  She explained that in light of the state’s budget deficit, Kansas is looking at ways to reduce government spending.  “One policy change being considered is whether the death penalty is worth its higher cost to Kansas citizens, versus the alternative sentence of life in prison without parole we now have on the books,” she wrote.  She pointed to a Kansas legislative report that found "the estimated median cost of a case in which the death sentence was given was about 70% more than the median cost of a non-death penalty murder case.