Washington became the latest state to outlaw the death penalty in the Washington Supreme Court ruling of State v Gregory, in furtherance of Governor Jay Inslee’s vow in 2014 to never have another execution while he was in office.

In the case that brought this issue before the court, Allen Eugene Gregory was convicted of raping, robbing, and killing Geneine Harshfield, a 43-year-old woman, in 1996. Gregory’s lawyers claimed that the death penalty was arbitrarily applied and that it was not proportional to the crime, which is required by the Washington State Constitution.

Death Penalty Abolished in 20 States

The death penalty is declining in the United States. Twenty states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have declared it unconstitutional, beginning with New Jersey in 2007. Another 11 states haven’t administered one in at least the last 10 years. There were 23 executions in the U.S. in 2017, the second lowest since 1991.

If you or someone you love is facing a death penalty situation, contact a civil rights attorney to see if the death penalty in your state is unconstitutional. In most cases, the underlying guilty decision will not be overturned, but the death sentence could be converted to life in prison.

Related Resources:

  • Find a Civil Rights Attorney Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
  • Death Penalty for NYC Truck Attack Suspect? (FindLaw Blotter)
  • CT Death Penalty Ban Upheld, State Death Row Is Dead (FindLaw Decided)

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