Crime & Police

Do Arizona’s Executions Need to Be Carried Out in a “More Timely Manner”?

Robert Moorman, who sat on Arizona's death row for nearly three decades, was executed yesterday for chopping up his adoptive mother.Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne responded by saying there was "no rational reason" for it to take that long."We have been working hard to help reform a system in which...
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Robert Moorman, who sat on Arizona’s death row for nearly three decades, was executed yesterday for chopping up his adoptive mother.

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne responded by saying there was “no rational reason” for it to take that long.

“We have been working hard to help reform a system in which delays between verdict and execution are so long,” Horne said. “Families need to see justice done in a timely manner.”

That’s actually the second time Horne’s brought up the need to streamline the process, as he also brought it up after the state executed its last 20-year death-row resident, kid-killing child molester Richard Bible.

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His method of changing the process thus far has apparently consisted of barking at the moon, since there are still more than 20 death-row inmates who’ve been waiting there more than 20 years.

One issue is the cost, as the taxpayers put up $66.90 per day to house, feed, and care for a single inmate on death row, and that doesn’t include the legal fees racked up by the state during the often-worthless attempts by death-row inmates to avoid their executions.

Meanwhile, the appeals process is a right for those death-row inmates, and there are multiple cases — in Arizona and in other states — of death-row inmates being exonerated.

That said, let’s get to the question: Do Arizona’s executions need to be carried out in a “more timely manner”?

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Cast your vote below:
 

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