Earlier this week, State Auditor Jim Zeigler, a potential candidate for the 2020 Alabama U.S. Senate Republican nomination, proposed “public hangings” for convicted police killers.

“It would be more of a deterrent to the killing of officers if would-be killers witnessed others hanging in the public square. Nothing else makes them think. Maybe hanging would,” Zeigler said in a statement sent to the media on Monday.

In an interview with Birmingham NBC affiliate WVTM 13, for some unknown reason, Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) was asked to weigh in on Zeigler’s recommendation.

Jones answered by calling on Zeigler to retract his proposal.

Sen. Doug Jones weighs in on state auditor’s calls for public hangings for cop killers #alpolitics https://t.co/bBP9Klinad pic.twitter.com/nLCjGimqCo

— WVTM 13 (@WVTM13) February 8, 2019

“First of all, in Alabama, the death of a law enforcement [official] is a factor to be considered in death,” Jones said. “So that part is already on the books. I think that anybody that right now says anything about public hangings – that is just abhorrent. It has no place in a civilized society. I am shocked – I am absolutely shocked that anyone, especially a state officer who pretends to be a public servant would say such a horrible thing. That is not what we need. It doesn’t do anything, and that should be retracted as quickly as it was said.”

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University, the editor of Breitbart TV and host of “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN in Huntsville.