Governor Dave Heineman says the pardoning of five people wrongfully convicted in a 1985 Beatrice murder does not change his opinion about the death penalty or the need to adopt a constitutional method of executing people in Nebraska. Heineman told reporters Tuesday he's confident those who are on death row have committed the crimes and should receive capital punishment.

Heineman says DNA evidence, which was used to exonerate those pardoned Tuesday, provides an opportunity to show "without a shadow of a doubt that someone is guilty", and he has no problem with the manner in which it was used in the Beatrice case.

Former Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha who championed Nebraska's DNA testing law, says the pardoning of the "Beatrice five" is a triumph. But he adds that saying sorry doesn't undo the damage.

Under a bill brought by a current state senator, Nebraska could join 25 states that have laws entitling exonerated inmates to government compensation. Even if the bill isn't passed, Nebraska could end up paying. Several of the former inmates say they're working with an attorney to file a lawsuit.