In a move he hopes sparks a growing debate on the use of capital punishment in the U.S., Washington Gov. Jay Inslee suspended the death penalty on Tuesday, KVUE-TV reported.
Inslee said in his announcement that he came to the decision to issue a moratorium after talking with victims' families, prosecutors, and other members of law enforcement.
"I previously supported capital punishment, and I don't question the hard work and judgment of the county prosecutors who bring these cases, or the judges who rule on them," Inslee said. "But my review of the law in Washington state and my responsibilities as governor have led me to reevaluate this position and the way it relates currently to our state."
A total of 18 other states have banned the death penalty, with Maryland being the most recent to do last year. Since 1904, there have been 78 inmates put to death in Washington, with nine inmates on death row currently.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 1,366 people have been put to death since 1976 following a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing states to decide on the use themselves.
With the moratorium in place, Inslee will be able to issue a reprieve to any death penalty cases that make his desk, allowing inmates to remain in prison instead of face execution.
"I don't question the guilt or the gravity of their crimes. They get no mercy from me," Inslee added. "But I do not believe their horrific offenses override the problems that exist in our capital-punishment system."
Prosecutors in the state expressed mixed emotions about Inslee's decision. While Kitsap County Prosecutor Russell Hauge agreed that the death penalty is "an extremely ineffective tool," he mentioned that state law will still allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty under certain circumstances.
