Vereb Calls Governor's Latest Death Penalty Dereliction a Mockery of PA's Legal System

HARRISBURG — After the governor of Pennsylvania today signaled he will fail to carry out a death sentence for the second time since taking office, state Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) said the governor’s actions signal a lack of respect for the Commonwealth’s legal system.

“The governor is ignoring the decision of a unanimous jury of this murderer’s peers in York County, as well as dozens of judges within the state and federal legal system, by refusing to carry out this criminal’s sentence,” Vereb said.  “This is the second time the governor has ignored the decisions of judges, juries and others, and instead substituted his own judgment.”

Hubert Michael, who was convicted of raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in 1993, was scheduled to be executed on Friday.  Michael has never contested his guilt or the judgement. Despite these facts, the governor today announced he will not carry out the lawfully prescribed execution.

“With the stroke of his pen, the governor gave a hardened criminal something the criminal took away from his victim:  life,” said Vereb.  “He is probably becoming the favorite governor of death row inmates in Pennsylvania.”

This marks the second execution the governor has refused to carry out since he took office.  Another execution, scheduled in March, was also unilaterally stopped by the governor.

Vereb said the governor is overstepping his authority by intervening to protect death row inmates and using the executive branch to delay and deny justice in Pennsylvania.

Vereb has introduced legislation – House Resolution 143 – condemning the governor’s actions and calling on him to remove his unilateral moratorium on death penalty executions.  That resolution is currently under consideration in the House Judiciary Committee.