Arizona Capital Representation Project

Austin Sarat writes at Slate about three executions over the span of two days–November 16 and 17–were badly botched. In Murray Hooper’s execution, the team could not access a peripheral vein and resorted to accessing his femoral vein in his groin. Arizona law prevents the defense team or the public from learning the identities of the execution team members, who routinely struggle to access peripheral veins, or determining whether they have adequate training.

Jimmy Jenkins of the Arizona Republic also writes about the botched executions and Arizona’s “veneer of medicalization” on lethal injection.

On November 10, the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s denial of Mr. Hooper’s request for DNA testing and fingerprint testing. These requests were made pursuant to Arizona’s DNA and forensic testing statutes. Read the decision here.

On November 15, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also rejected Mr. Hooper’s request for DNA testing, pursuant to the Rooker-Feldman doctrine, which prohibits the appeal of a state court judgment to a federal court. The Ninth Circuit’s decision is available here.

Arizona is set to execute Murray Hooper, age 76, on November 16 at 10 a.m. Mr. Hooper has maintained his innocence for more than 40 years and has requested DNA and fingerprint testing, which the State has opposed. There were significant problems with Mr. Hooper’s trial, including a mistaken identification, the use of paid informant testimony, and significant police misconduct.