Monday, June 4, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Gov. Matt Blunt Statement on Missouri's Death Penalty
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that Missouri's death penalty may be enforced.
"One of the most important jobs I have as governor is to help keep Missourians safe. Capital punishment is a vital deterrent to the most serious of crimes. I support Missouri's death penalty statutes and have worked to ensure our law is applied with justice and fairness. In the interest of protecting Missourians, I am pleased the court ruled in favor of the state's limited, reasonable and effectively enforced death penalty and I am directing the Department of Corrections to prepare execution procedures in compliance with the ruling."
A ruling from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Taylor v. Crawford deemed that Missouri's lethal injection procedure is not unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment. During Gov. Blunt's administration, the Department of Corrections has carried out five executions.