Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett’s Order is at the link.
"Gov. Corbett issues temporary reprieve to allow more time to procure execution drugs," is by Kate Giammarise for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett today signed a temporary reprieve of a scheduled execution "to allow the Department of Corrections to complete its acquisition of the injection agents required to carry out lethal injection," according to a statement from the Governor's office.
Hubert Michael, 58, had been scheduled to be executed Sept. 22; he was sentenced to death for the 1994 murder of 16-year-old Trista Eng.
Pennsylvania hasn't executed anyone since 1999. Only three people have been executed in the state since capital punishment was reinstated in 1978; all three had waived their rights to further appeals.
“I am committed to carrying out the sentence of the Court and giving Trista Eng and her family the justice they deserve,” Mr. Corbett said in his statement.
The execution also remains stayed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
"Once the drugs are procured, written notice will be sent from Corrections Secretary John Wetzel to Gov. Corbett. Absent a stay, Gov. Corbett shall then sign Michael’s fifth execution warrant setting a new date for execution. The new execution date is mandated by law to be within 60 days of the signing of the warrant," according to Mr. Corbett's statement.
"Condemned killer Hubert Michael wins temporary reprieve from Sept. 22 execution," is AP coverage, via the Republic.
Gov. Tom Corbett signed the reprieve for Hubert Michael Jr. on Friday to allow the Department of Corrections to complete its acquisition of drugs necessary to carry out the lethal injections that are mandated by state law.
Michael was slated to be executed on Sept. 22 for the 1993 murder of 16-year-old Trista Eng in York County.
Michael's execution also remains stayed by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals pending a decision on whether to reconsider a three-judge ruling against Michael earlier this year.
Once the drugs are procured and any stay is lifted, Corbett says he will sign a fifth death warrant for Michael, setting a new execution date.
The York Daily Record posts, "Corbett signs temporary reprieve of Hubert Michael execution."
Hubert Lester Michael Jr.'s execution is being put off temporarily because the state needs time to get the lethal injection drugs.
David Rudovsky, an attorney representing Hubert Michael, issued the following statement:
“Governor Corbett’s decision to grant a reprieve to give the Department of Corrections an opportunity to comply with state law is appropriate. In light of the ongoing bi-partisan state legislative Commission studying the state’s death penalty, including the method of execution, and given all of the well-documented problems with Pennsylvania’s death penalty, the Governor should not allow any executions to proceed until the Commission has completed its work and the public can be assured that the problems with lethal injection and the death penalty in the Commonwealth have been addressed.”
Earlier coverage from Pennsylvania begins at the link. You can also jump to earlier news of Hubert Michael's case.
Comments