The 1,000th execution since reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 is expected this week.Gov Mark Warner (D-VA) commuted the death penalty of the man slated to be number 1,000 on Wednesday.
Gov Warner -- often mentioned as a 2008 Presidential contender -- has seen nearly a dozen executions over his term. He commuted this one because the state destroyed evidence that could have affected the death row inmate's case.
But there have been three mass commutations since the death penalty was reinstated nationally in 1976:
- 1986, Gov Toney Anaya (D-NM) commuted all inmates' death sentences
- 1991, Gov Richard Celeste (D-OH) commuted 8 inmates' death sentences
- 2003, Gov George Ryan (R-IL) commuted all death row inmates' sentences
2 comments:
how much does it cost to house an prisoner compared to executing them?
From everything I've seen, it's more expensive to execute prisoners than house them for life.
Having a death penalty requires the state to spend fortunes on trials and appeals. There's a much higher standard of care in a death penalty case.
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