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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Crime / Death / News Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber: "I Will Not Allow Further Executions While I Am Governor."

Posted by Unpaid Intern on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 3:30 PM

Posted by news intern Marley Zeno

Both the NY Times and the Death Penalty Information Center are reporting that today Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber halted the execution of Gary Haugen—who was put on death row after murdering his cellmate—and declared that there will be no more executions during his term.

Kitzhaber's statement via the NY Times:

"I am convinced we can find a better solution that keeps society safe, supports the victims of crime and their families and reflects Oregon values," he wrote. "I refuse to be a part of this compromised and inequitable system any longer; and I will not allow further executions while I am Governor."

Oregon currently has 37 inmates on death row but the state has only executed two people since voters approved the death penalty in 1984—and both of those executions took place during Kitzhaber's previous tenure as governor. So, obviously, Gov. Kitzhaber's change of heart comes as a welcome surprise to those opposed to the death penalty.

His decision came after the Oregon Supreme Court Denied a petition on November 21 to delay Haugen's execution. Here's more from Gov. Kitzhaber's statement:

“They were the most agonizing and difficult decisions I have made as governor and I have revisited and questioned them over and over again during the past 14 years,” Gov. Kitzhaber said. “I do not believe that those executions made us safer; and certainly they did not make us nobler as a society. And I simply cannot participate once again in something I believe to be morally wrong.”

I could go into all of the reasons why the death penalty is bad for society (noted here and here) but instead I'll just say this: Here's hoping more states follow Oregon's lead.

Comments (16) RSS

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I knew there was a reason I loved that behatted fish-smelling ol' bastard.

Posted by eptified on November 22, 2011 at 3:42 PM

I used to be for the death penalty. Then I thought about innocent people being put to death "in my name" and it no longer sat well with me. Kudos to the governor for his change of heart.

Posted by Hawke

on November 22, 2011 at 3:48 PM

I used to be supportive of the death penalty, but recent events have demonstrated that our state governments don't really take seriously their obligation to be extra sure that they aren't executing innocent people. So IMO, it's time to get rid of it.

Posted by Tiffany

on November 22, 2011 at 3:50 PM

Kudos to the governor, although it's interesting that it happened in the context of this prisoner, who wanted the execution to go through.

Posted by sikandro on November 22, 2011 at 3:52 PM

Good on ya, Oregon. A state/country should never intentionally harm its own citizens.

Posted by Westlake, son! on November 22, 2011 at 3:52 PM

Time for our retiring Governator to do the same.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on November 22, 2011 at 4:05 PM

I'm glad the Governor is asserting his power here and hope he's giving the rest of Oregon's legal system a look. Capital punishment in a state that doesn't even reqire unanimous jury verdicts? Measure 11 crimes? Jesus Christ Oregon, you're tied at the very bottom with Louisiana for back-water criminal justice laws.

Posted by Dougsf on November 22, 2011 at 4:30 PM

thank you, Governor Kitzhaber

Posted by myr on November 22, 2011 at 4:49 PM

I believe that some people commit acts so reprehensible that they deserve to die for their crimes.
But I also believe that human institutions are utterly incapable of making that judgment. So I am very much against the death penalty in any form and I applaud the governor's moral courage.

Posted by Indy on November 22, 2011 at 5:48 PM

Good for Kitzhaber, following the lead of several states that have no death penalty. Wiki notes that Michigan, for example, was the first English-speaking government in the world to abolish the death penalty for all crimes except treason.

Posted by gloomy gus on November 22, 2011 at 6:23 PM

If anything is premeditated homicide, it's a state-run execution.

Posted by N in Seattle

on November 22, 2011 at 7:16 PM

Why is Oregon--which has basically same mixture of a few urban liberals and many conservative farmers as we do--so much just plain BETTER in every way than Washington?

Posted by sarah70 on November 22, 2011 at 9:54 PM

I applaud this action, but they really should make an exception for Dayton Leroy Rogers. (Look him up.)

Posted by Matt from Denver on November 23, 2011 at 6:22 AM

Thank you, Governor!

Posted by Mr. J on November 23, 2011 at 6:32 AM

He had the ability to commute all of those sentences of people on death row doesn't he? That move would also make it impossible for future governors to execute the same people.

Posted by LukeJoe on November 23, 2011 at 8:50 AM

@12 - It isn't. Portland's got a train that goes a couple places, a few bike lanes, and they spend a lot of money on parks, but read up on Oregon's legal system and you'll have serious reservations over their future Cascadia membership.

Posted by Dougsf on November 28, 2011 at 6:11 PM