Aaron Brian Gunches’ execution would mark a resumption of Arizona’s use of the death penalty after a two-year pause while it reviewed its procedures.
In a handwritten court filing this week, Gunches asked the state Supreme Court to schedule his execution for mid-February for his murder conviction in the 2002 killing of Ted Price.
Two years ago, Gunches asked the Arizona Supreme Court to issue his execution warrant, saying justice could be served and the victim’s families could get closure.
Katie Hobbs’ office said the state wasn’t prepared to enforce the death penalty because it lacked staff with expertise to carry out executions.
Hobbs, a Democrat, had promised not to carry out any executions until there was confidence the state can do so without violating any laws.
PHOENIX — An Arizona death row prisoner asked the state’s highest court to skip legal formalities and schedule his execution earlier than authorities were aiming for, pushing as he had in the past to have his death sentence carried out.
