Washington  - New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson signed legislation to abolish the state's death penalty, leaving 35 of the 50 US states still with the option of capital punishment.

Richardson said in a statement Wednesday that he still agrees with the death penalty for the worst crimes but that he has lost confidence in the justice system to administer it.

He said that he decided to sign the repeal because of the "finality of this ultimate punishment. Once a conclusive decision has been made and executed, it cannot be reversed. And it is in consideration of this, that I have made my decision."

"Throughout my adult life, I have been a firm believer in the death penalty as a just punishment - in very rare instances, and only for the most heinous crimes," he said. "I still believe that."

Richardson briefly ran for president in 2008 before endorsing fellow Democrat Barack Obama. After being elected, Obama nominated Richardson for commerce secretary, but the governor later withdrew over a scandal over state contracts in New Mexico.

"Regardless of my personal opinion about the death penalty, I do not have confidence in the criminal justice system as it currently operates to be the final arbiter when it comes to who lives and who dies for their crime," Richardson said. "If the state is going to undertake this awesome responsibility, the system to impose this ultimate penalty must be perfect and can never be wrong." (dpa)