Revisión y conmutación de la pena de muerte en Washington

Explicación Simple

Si alguien recibe una pena de muerte y luego se cambia por el gobernador o se declara inválida, esa persona puede recibir cadena perpetua. Esto ocurre después de que se han agotado todas las apelaciones en la corte.

Es como si un árbitro en un partido de fútbol revisara una jugada polémica. Si decide que la decisión original fue incorrecta, puede cambiarla y otorgar un penalti en lugar de un tiro libre.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan fue condenado a muerte por un crimen grave. Después de varios años, el gobernador decide que su sentencia no es justa y la cambia a cadena perpetua. Así, Juan no enfrenta la pena de muerte, pero seguirá en prisión de por vida.

Penalidades

Si la pena de muerte es conmutada o declarada inválida, se puede imponer cadena perpetua.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

RCW 10.95.090 - Sentence if death sentence commuted, held invalid, or if death sentence established by chapter held invalid If any sentence of death imposed pursuant to this chapter is commuted by the governor, or held to be invalid by a final judgment of a court after all avenues of appeal have been exhausted by the parties to the action, or if the death penalty established by this chapter is held to be invalid by a final judgment of a court which is binding on all courts in the state, the sentence for aggravated first degree murder if there was an affirmative response to the question posed by RCW 10.95.060(4) shall be life imprisonment as provided in RCW 10.95.030(1). RCW 10.95.100 - Mandatory review of death sentence by supreme court -- Notice -- Transmittal -- Contents of notice -- Jurisdiction Whenever a defendant is sentenced to death, upon entry of the judgment and sentence in the trial court the sentence shall be reviewed on the record by the supreme court of Washington.Within ten days of the entry of a judgment and sentence imposing the death penalty, the clerk of the trial court shall transmit notice thereof to the clerk of the supreme court of Washington and to the parties. The notice shall include the caption of the case, its cause number, the defendant's name, the crime or crimes of which the defendant was convicted, the sentence imposed, the date of entry of judgment and sentence, and the names and addresses of the attorneys for the parties. The notice shall vest with the supreme court of Washington the jurisdiction to review the sentence of death as provided by this chapter. The failure of the clerk of the trial court to transmit the notice as required shall not prevent the supreme court of Washington from conducting the sentence review as provide