Statement Following Arizona Supreme Court’s Failure to Notify Atwood’s Legal Team of Decision

Posted by emily on June 01, 2022
Execution News, What's New

Legal team points to this misstep as emblematic of problems plaguing Arizona’s death penalty system

PHOENIX—Today, Frank Atwood’s legal team uncovered that the Arizona Supreme Court had declined to weigh in on an earlier filing challenging the adequacy and expiration of Arizona’s lethal execution drugs. The Court, however, failed to notify Mr. Atwood’s legal team about its decision, which it reached nearly one week ago today.

In response to this error, Joseph Perkovich, counsel for Mr. Atwood, had this to say:

“This significant misstep by the Arizona Supreme Court is more than disappointing, it is emblematic of systemic problems plaguing Arizona’s death penalty at large.

“In a complex legal process that carries with it the ultimate and irreversible outcome of death at the hands of the state, we have seen over and over again a consistent disregard for the rule of the law and the very premise of fairness in our justice system.”

After discovering the error, counsel for Mr. Atwood requested a stay of execution to allow for additional time to seek review of the Court’s denial.

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