State will seek execution of Cal Coburn Brown

Posted on July 10, 2009 by Michael Reitz

In March, the Washington Supreme Court issued an 11th hour stay in the scheduled execution of convicted murderer Cal Coburn Brown. Brown's case had been consolidated with another case before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham where inmates were challenging the constitutionality of Washington state's method of lethal injection. 

Today Judge Wickham affirmed the state's practice.  With this ruling, the Attorney General's Office says it will once again seek Brown's execution.

It is possible, however, that the Supreme Court will not lift the stay of execution until Judge Wickham's order comes up on appeal, giving the Supreme Court an opportunity to review the constitutionality of lethal injection. 

Click here for more information about capital punishment in Washington state.

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State's execution team resigns because of legal challenge

Posted on April 3, 2009 by Michael Reitz

Apparently fearing their identities would be revealed, four individuals who administered lethal injections to death-row inmates at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla have resigned.

The resignations were precipitated by an ongoing court battle, where three inmates are challenging the constitutionality of Washington's lethal injection policy.

Convicted murderer Cal Coburn Brown was scheduled to die by lethal injection on March 13, 2009. Responding to an 11th hour appeal, the Washington State Supreme Court stayed Brown’s execution while the constitutionality of lethal injection is resolved in Brown's case and two other related matters.

According to the Seattle Times, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Chris Wickham had set April 2 as the deadline for the execution team to release records detailing the members' experience and qualifications.

The state is now without a team to administer lethal injections, although there are no scheduled executions, and the last one occurred in 2001.

The three death row inmates are challenging the state's lethal injection practices, arguing that the procedure can result in extreme pain for the condemned, and thus violates the state and federal prohibitions. Thurston County Superior Court is scheduled to hear arguments in this matter May 2009.

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