In the last two months, Arizona has carried out two executions, providing justice for murder victims and their families, who have had to endure decades of appeals and legal maneuvering by the convicted killers and anti-capital punishment activists. The process is emotionally draining, incredibly frustrating, and clearly takes too long. Nevertheless, Arizonans should be encouraged to know that, in these two cases, justice ultimately prevailed.
Many people are shocked and disgusted to learn that a number of the inmates sitting on death row committed their heinous crimes in the 1970s and 1980s. These convicted killers are receiving three square meals a day, a bed, and access to higher education resources — all while the victims’ family members suffer through the appeals process. Deterrence is all about the certainty of the punishment, but that is not what is occurring in many of these cases. Most degenerates know they will likely spend decades awaiting their execution, if it is performed at all. Justice delayed is justice denied.
One of the most sacred and established duties of public servants is to provide a voice for people who are unable to speak effectively for themselves. This applies to diverse segments of our population, from young children to people with disabilities, disadvantages, or declining health. In the most solemn cases, it requires us to speak on behalf of those who have been viciously murdered and no longer have any voice at all. We, as a community, must stand up for each and every victim.
I deeply sympathize with family members and support groups working to raise public awareness of beloved homicide victims. I have had very emotional conversations with family members of victims in our state, including Debbie Carlson, the mother of 8-year-old Vicki Lynne Hoskinson. We made a promise to these families that we would seek justice for their loved ones, and that is what we are doing. It is why our office worked so hard, from state courts all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, to ensure justice is done when criminals commit the most heinous crimes.
As I have said before, though, these folks should not have to launch media campaigns, lobby government officials, or beg anyone for justice — in Arizona or any other state. It is society’s responsibility to enforce our laws and respect court-ordered sentences. Jurors have done their civic duty, and we must all do ours. The victims and their loved ones have waited far too long for justice, and some extended family members have died without the closure or resolution that they had sought and deserved. This is unacceptable. I remain committed to upholding the rule of law and opposing specious legal arguments and misguided antics designed to delay the administration of justice.
While there will always be some who oppose capital punishment, it remains the law in our state because when confronting the most heinous crimes, it’s what justice demands. It is the appropriate response to those who commit the most shocking and vile murders, and it ensures the last word still belongs to the innocent victims who can no longer speak for themselves.
Mark Brnovich is the attorney general of Arizona.
