A US appeals court panel on Friday refused to postpone one of the country's longest-serving death row convicts' scheduled execution in Idaho for next week.
Following the 1983 murder of David Jensen, another prisoner, by battery-filled sock, Thomas Creech received a death sentence. At 73 years old, Creech had been found guilty of four murders and was already serving a life sentence when he took Jensen's life.
Petition to Delay Execution
John Creech, a well-known citizen of Ohio, has been involved in a legal battle for more than 50 years. His counsel have asked the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to postpone Creech's planned execution. Creech, who is suspected of multiple killings dating back to 1974, is under intense scrutiny regarding the methods of his conviction and subsequent death sentence.
John Creech's counsel petitioned the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals to delay his lethal injection, continuing his 50-year legal case. Creech, accused of many murders since 1974, is under heavy investigation for his conviction and death sentence.
Judge Jay Bybee conveyed skepticism, asserting that the defense's lack of substantial evidence makes the appeal seem like a delay tactic. The Idaho attorney general's office concurred, contending that Creech's legal team had kept the claim in reserve, only raising it at the eleventh hour to stall the impending execution.
Apart from the plea regarding the sentencing method, Creech's legal team has filed three other challenges in recent weeks. These include concerns over the adequacy of his clemency hearing, questions about the source of the execution drug, and an appeal to the US Supreme Court, as per Fox News.
Accusations Across States
Creech is accused with killings in various states. After being acquitted in 1974 for stabbing retiree Paul Shrader in Arizona, Creech was accused in Oregon and Idaho of shooting and partially burying two traveling housepainters.
During police interrogations, Creech made extravagant claims of involvement in 42 killings, some in satanic rituals and others as contract killings for motorcycle gangs. While authorities were unable to substantiate most of these assertions, they did connect him to nine killings in Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, and California.
During Creech's clemency hearing, the state presented unverified information about an additional killing in California in 1974, adding a new twist to the case. Even without concrete proof, this new information has further complicated an already legally complex case.
As the case continues, the 9th Circuit rejects the claim that judge-sentenced executions are declining nationwide. The panel noted that Creech failed to demonstrate a significant public opinion shift and urged raising the issue earlier in the judicial procedure. In the closing days before execution, legal maneuvers and appeals hang over Creech's future, according to US News.
