Washington Governor Jay Inslee says as long as he’s in office the state won’t execute death row inmates.
The Democrat made that announcement Tuesday morning at a news conference in Olympia.
“I have decided to impose a moratorium on executions while I am governor of the state of Washington," he said. "Equal justice under the law is the primary responsibility of our state. And in death penalty cases I am not convinced equal justice is being served.”
Inslee says if a death warrant came across his desk he would not sign it and instead give the inmate a reprieve. Inslee follows Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber who declared a similar moratorium in 2011.
Currently, Washington has nine inmates on death row, but no executions are scheduled. A future governor could reverse Inslee’s moratorium.
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