The Oregonian reports, "Oregon death-row prisoner joins Gary Haugen in seeking execution," by Helen Jung. Here's an extended excerpt from the beginning:
A second death-row prisoner is challenging Oregon to carry out the death penalty, saying he agrees with co-defendant and fellow inmate Gary Haugen that the legal system is broken and pursuing appeals is pointless.
Jason Van Brumwell, who was sent to death row in 2007 with Haugen after the two were convicted of a prison killing, has written the Oregon Supreme Court that he wants to waive his appeals and is prepared to be executed, he said in a phone interview with The Oregonian.
“It’s about this whole (expletive) system we’ve got here,” Brumwell said, adding that he watched Haugen’s legal battles with his own attorneys. “I told myself if it ever got to this point where everything breaks down,” that he would withdraw and allow his death sentence to be carried out. “I owe it to myself to be true to myself.”
The development could hand Gov. John Kitzhaber his second death-row dilemma in his current term. Haugen in 2011 waived his appeals and was to be executed in December of that year. But two weeks before the planned execution date, Kitzhaber, who has said he is morally opposed to capital punishment, issued a reprieve for Haugen. He also said he would not allow executions to proceed while he is governor.
The move triggered both praise and criticism for the governor, who allowed two executions to proceed in his first term. Haugen sued, arguing the governor was overstepping his authority. The Oregon Supreme Court sided with the governor, and Haugen is awaiting word whether the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the case.
"2nd Oregon death row inmate wants execution; Gov. Kitzhaber blocking death penalty," is AP coverage, via the Daily Journal.
A second Oregon death row inmate is challenging the state to carry out its death penalty.
Jason Van Brumwell agrees with fellow inmate Gary Haugen that pursuing appeals is pointless and he should be executed.
The 38-year-old Brumwell was sent to death row in 2007 with Haugen after the two were convicted of a prison killing.
And:
There are 34 men and one woman on Oregon's death row. No inmate has been given a lethal injection since 1997.
"Deadly Serious: The effort to repeal capital punishment in Washington continues to face an ideological divide," is by Eli Francovich at the Inlander.
The March hearing in front of the Washington state House Judiciary Committee was all official-sounding sentences and professional courtesies. The formality glossed over the raw emotion of this discussion of death and justice and capital punishment. More than 21 representatives — including one Republican — sponsored House Bill 1504 to repeal Washington's death penalty. Former GOP Gov. Dan Evans prepared a written statement in support of repeal and about 20 citizens attended, giving their testimony in support of repeal. No one testified against.
Although pro-repeal activists paint the issue as clear-cut — a practical economic decision — the issue remains in many ways an ideological one. As last year's hearing highlighted, plenty of vocal and organized support exists for repealing the death penalty. By contrast, there's little or no organized pro-death penalty support. But that isn't to say there is no resistance.
"You get passive dismissal from the pro folks," says Dick Morgan, retired director of Washington's Division of Prisons and a board member of the Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. "A lot of times you will get, 'Oh that's what the people want,' but we don't really know, because the majority of the people haven't voted on it."
That is the crux, and hope, of the repeal argument. Washingtonians voted to reinstate the death penalty in 1981, and since then there have been no other votes. The same bill from last year is back on the agenda for the coming legislative session and has backers in all four caucuses.
Earlier coverage from Oregon begins at the link.
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