Gov. Bill Richardson

Gov. Bill Richardson, whose signature could abolish the death penalty in New Mexico, spoke publicly Saturday about his dilemma over signing the bill.

The governor said in the days after the attacks of 9-11, he supported the death penalty. But in the last couple of years, he says his thinking has started to change.

"You see prosecutorial abuse, you see inmates that have been wrongly incarcerated, you see DNA evidence that's faulty," Richardson said.

Those doubts could play a role in Richardson's decision to either sign or reject a bill passed by the New Mexico Senate Friday that would abolish the death penalty for life without parole. The governor has until Wednesday to decide.

"I've struggled with this. It's something probably that you get as governor  once in a lifetime, so I want to make the right choice," he said.

The governor also says he understands the view that there should be an ultimate penalty for society's worst criminals, like cop killers.

"You want our police, you want our law enforcement officials to feel that when they put their lives on the line for the population, that there's going to be a deterrent for them," the governor said.

The governor said he is looking for the public's input before he decides.

"I want to hear compelling argument, factual arguments. I want to hear from the clergy-conscious arguments," he said.

Although the death penalty is still common in places like China, Africa and Middle-Eastern countries, The United States is on an increasingly short list of western nations that still execute prisoners--something the governor says he's aware of.

"It bothers me that America is one of the few countries that still has the death penalty," he said.

The governor's office has been flooded with thousands of calls and e-mails on the issues, with opinion split evenly. Now, the governor says he wants to go face-to-face with voters.

"We're going to be available all weekend to hear from constituents," he said. "I'm going to meet with constituents on Monday--anyone that wants to talk to me about this issue," he said.

You can call the governor at 505-476-2225. You can also e-mail him through his website under the "contact the governor" link.

Gov. holds office hours Monday

Poll: Do you support repealing the death penalty?