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Inslee, DOC mark closure of Washington State Penitentiary execution chamber
Summary
Gov. Jay Inslee and Department of Corrections officials held a ceremony at the Washington State Penitentiary to close the execution chamber, marking a symbolic end after a 2014 moratorium and a 2023 law that abolished capital punishment. Officials highlighted racial disparities, case reversals, and staff impacts.
Governor Jay Inslee and Department of Corrections officials on Friday marked the closure of the execution chamber at the Washington State Penitentiary, framing the event as a historic step in the state’s movement away from capital punishment.
"This is a historic day in the state of Washington," Governor Jay Inslee said, opening remarks that tied the ceremony to the tenth anniversary of his 2014 moratorium on executions. "Equal justice under law" and concerns about unequal administration of the death penalty were central to his remarks.
Inslee described multiple reasons for ending the state's use of the…
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