Ron Dancer

Twelve years ago this December, Laci Peterson was murdered in the eighth month of her pregnancy. Her husband Scott Peterson was convicted of first degree murder in her death and second degree murder in the death of her unborn child, Conner. The brutal murder not only made international news, it also spurred outrage that Scott Peterson was not charged with homicide in the murder of his unborn son.

Philadelphia resident Shaneen Allen is a single mother of two with no criminal record, but she is facing a mandatory three-year prison term because last year she was caught with a gun in New Jersey that she's legally allowed to possess in Pennsylvania. Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick doesn't think Allen should go to jail as a result of the violation.

Shaneen Allen is a single mother of two from Philadelphia with no criminal record who is now facing a mandatory three-year sentence in a New Jersey prison.

Senate President Steve Sweeney said legislation to bring back the death penalty for certain murders should not be reinstated so quickly.

Assemblyman Ron Dancer said Jersey City police officer Melvin Santiago's murder might not have been prevented if the death penalty still existed in New Jersey, but the incident has at least renewed that conversation.

The transfer inheritance tax, one of New Jersey's oldest taxes, dates back to 1892. This 16 percent levy is applied when property is transferred outside a deceased resident's immediate family. Another so-called "death tax," the estate tax, is applied on property valued at more than $675,000.