Executions resume in Arizona, breaking two-year hiatus during review of state death penalty procedures – Credo

PHOENIX (AP) – Executions in Arizona will resume after a two-year hiatus, the state’s top prosecutor announced.

Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday that he would soon seek a death warrant. aaron brian ganches He was convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s ex-husband and is on death row.

Mays said his office has been preparing for the return of the death penalty in Arizona since the beginning of this year, working with state prison officials to review and improve procedures.

Gov. Katie Hobbs has pledged not to carry out any executions until she is confident the state can do so without violating the law. The attorney general’s office said it will not seek a court order for the death penalty while the review is ongoing.

The review ordered by Mr. Hobbs effectively ended this month when he vetoed it. retired federal judge She had previously been appointed head of the review.

The governor’s spokesman, Christian Slater, said Hobbs “remains committed to upholding the law while ensuring that justice is administered in a transparent and humane manner.” .

Corrections officials have “completely reviewed our policies and procedures and made important improvements to ensure state-run executions meet legal and constitutional standards,” Slater said.

The attorney general said in May that executions could resume in early 2025 once the review is complete.

Based on that timeline, Mays said he plans to ask the Arizona Supreme Court in the coming weeks to issue a death warrant for Ganchis, who was sentenced to death for the murder of Ted Price.

Mr. Ganchis was sentenced to death in April 2023, but Mr. Hobbs’ office said he was not prepared to carry out the death penalty because the state lacked staff with experience in carrying it out. Ta. At the time, he said, he was unable to find an intravenous injection team to administer the lethal injection and did not have a contract with a pharmacist to prepare the pentobarbital needed for the execution.

Ganchis pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend’s ex-husband, Price, in the Mesa suburb of Phoenix.

the last arizona 3 executions carried out in 2022 After an eight-year hiatus due to criticism that an execution in 2014 went awry and difficulties in obtaining execution drugs.

Anita Snow, Associated Press

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