Slaying prompts death penalty proposal

The machete murder of a mother in her bed shocked New Hampshire’s governor and House speaker into supporting legislation making fatal home invasions punishable by death. But their backing alone does not ensure success in New Hampshire, where lawmakers have been more inclined over the years to repeal the state’s death penalty law than to expand it. A bill sponsored by House Speaker William O’Brien is named for Kimberly Cates, who was killed in a 2009 burglary in her home.