Days after Arizona’s new governor and attorney general reviewed the protocol around it, suspending executions, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said her office would continue to call for the death penalty, saying the review would continue. I want it to be ‘appropriate’.
Mitchell said she respects Gov. Katie Hobbs’ decision to suspend executions and initiate an independent review. “I also pledged to respect and uphold the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona.
Hobbes, Friday issued an executive order Arizona has initiated a thorough independent review of the state’s execution of the death penalty. deceived pastThe move comes about two weeks after Hobbes took office, and 2022 saw three executions in the state.
Also on Friday, Attorney General Chris Mays, who in January replaced former Attorney General Mark Brnovic, an avid supporter of the death penalty, said: announced In the case of Aaron Ganches, her office would not pursue execution.
Mayes’ allegation cited the fact that Gunches overturned his initial demand for execution. It also mentioned that Hobbs’ review of his process has now begun.
Executions in the state are essentially on hold as Mays refuses to submit new death warrants setting an execution date and Hobbes is proceeding with the review.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has long supported the death penalty case. The department has investigated so many death penalty cases over the years that sometimes shortage of lawyers prosecute them all.
Mitchell was more conservative in calling for the death penalty than his predecessors. In the nine months since she took office, she has sought the death penalty for five people.Former County Attorneys Andrew Thomas and Bill Montgomery demanded dozens more death sentencesThomas asked for 89 from 2005-2007 and Montgomery for 41 from 2010-2012.
Still, Mitchell is not going to stop calling for executions. On Tuesday, Mitchell told Mays that he plans to ask Mayes to ensure that all those sentenced to death in Maricopa County who have exhausted appeals are executed once the review is complete.
“The families of those murdered by those sentenced to death have a long and painful road ahead,” Mitchell said, referring to the decades of legal process that followed the death sentence. “That’s why I hope the review process outlined in the governor’s order will be expedient and transparent.”
Hobbes appointed an “independent review board,” an expert on capital punishment who had never worked for the Arizona Department of Corrections, to review “procurement processes for lethal injections and gas chamber chemicals, execution protocols, and staffing.” It plans to “review state enforcement procedures, including.” Considerations include her training and experience,” according to her executive order.
The review will result in a report to the Governor with recommendations for improvement. No timeline for report review or completion is specified in the order form. And Hobbes hedged the question about her personal stance on the death penalty — it’s unclear if the Arizona death penalty will pick up where it left off after the review is complete.
Hobbes also appointed new director Arizona Department of Corrections conducting executions at Florence State Penitentiary. Ryan Thornell, currently Vice Chairman of the Maine Department of Corrections, will succeed former Director David Singh.
Mitchell stressed that the review “does not change the way the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office does business.” She said she spoke with Mays and requested that the Attorney General’s office be tasked with continuing to prosecute capital punishment cases.
“Attorney General Mays has promised to notify us of any changes,” Mitchell said.
The attorney general’s office will continue legal proceedings over the appeal of the death sentence, according to Richie Taylor, director of communications for Mayes’ office. “AG Mays will not seek death warrants during the review process, but the appeals process will continue for death row inmates who have not yet completed their appeals,” he said.
