Death Penalty Halted By Washington Governor

The death penalty is a legal form of punishment in the state of Washington. However, Governor Jay Inslee has halted all executions. Inslee announced that he will not allow any further executions while he is in office. Although his decision can be reversed by the state’s next governor, Inslee has the power to halt capital punishment for the remainder of his term.

The governor said his decision was based on “problems that exist in our capital punishment system.” While the death penalty is legal in many states, some governors have chosen to override state law. In 2011, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber announced that he would not allow any executions for the remainder of his term. In 2013, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper followed suit.

Although 18 states have outlawed the punishment, changing the law is a controversial and lengthy process. Despite existing laws, governors have the option of halting executions during their term. While many governors pardon specific inmates on death row, most governors are reluctant to overrule state law.

Inslee did not take his decision lightly. As reported by Seattle Times, the governor spent months researching the death penalty and controversies surrounding capital punishment. The governor’s general counsel, Nicholas Brown, said Inslee spent time at the Washington State Penitentiary. His discussion with a superintendent, who has witnessed numerous executions, had a specific impact on his decision. The governor also interviewed former corrections officers and victims’ families.

In recent years, DNA evidence has cleared numerous death row inmates, including many who were already executed. Within the last 40 years, 140 death row inmates were exonerated and freed based on new and more reliable evidence. Those who oppose the death penalty believe the exonerations underline serious flaws in the system. After conducting extensive research, Inslee came to the same conclusion. In Washington alone, more than 32 death sentences were overturned since the early 1980s:

“There are too many flaws in the system… when the ultimate decision is death, there is too much at stake to accept an imperfect system… I expect Washington State will join a growing national conversation about capital punishment.”

With widespread availability of DNA testing, capital punishment has decreased more than 60 percent nationwide. Death Penalty Information Center Director Richard Dieter expects the trend to continue. He said Governor Inslee’s announcement “is a sign of the changing views on the death penalty.”

Governor Jay Inslee’s decision was not easy and will certainly be a point of controversy. However, he believes halting the death penalty in Washington is the best decision at this time.

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