Death penalty issue needs decision, not endless delays

On capital punishment, Maryland is on the road to becoming what some call a "symbolic state." The death penalty is on the books and there are prisoners on death row, but there have been no executions for more than two years.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week eliminated the excuse Gov. Martin O'Malley has been using for not doing a court-ordered fix to the state's death-penalty procedures. But before the high court could rule, the General Assembly had thoughtfully provided the governor with another rationale for delay.

In December 2006, just before Mr. O'Malley took office, the state Court of Appeals halted all executions...