Washington Closes Death Penalty Chamber
Washington Closes Death Penalty Chamber

Washington Closes Death Penalty Chamber

News summary

Washington State has officially closed its death penalty chamber at the state penitentiary in Walla Walla, marking an end to over a century of capital punishment practices. Governor Jay Inslee, who imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in 2014, described the closure as a significant milestone in the state's legal history. The chamber, which has been the site of 78 executions since 1904, will be preserved for historical purposes, with all its original fixtures intact. This decision follows the Washington Supreme Court's 2018 ruling that deemed the death penalty unconstitutional due to its arbitrary and racially biased application. Observers noted that Black defendants were disproportionately sentenced to death, being 4.5 times more likely to receive the death penalty compared to white defendants. The closure ceremony included the installation of a commemorative plaque by prison inmates, further solidifying the end of an era for Washington's justice system.

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