Nebraska death penalty debate could impact US Bank gunman - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

Lawmakers in Nebraska will debate the merits of the death penalty and whether to repeal it.

A bill introduced by Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha, who is an outspoken opponent of capital punishment, passed out of the Judiciary Committee.

It'll now go to the floor for a full debate by the unicameral.

There are eleven inmates on Nebraska's death row.  Three of them were convicted of the U.S. Bank murders in Norfolk in September, 2002.

It's still considered one of the deadliest bank robberies in U.S. history.  Five people inside the bank were shot and killed within 50 seconds.

Jose Sandoval, Jorge Galindo, and Erick Vela are sitting on Nebraska's Death Row.  Prosecutors say the appeals are done for all three.

The last prisoner executed in Nebraska was Robert Williams in 1997.

Out of 1,600 homicide cases in the last four decades, Nebraska has only executed three inmates.