Former Arizona Corrections director pleads no contest in armed standoff with officers at his home
Former Arizona Corrections Director Charles Ryan pleaded no contest Tuesday to disorderly conduct stemming from an encounter in which police say he fired a gun inside his Tempe home in early 2022 and pointed a firearm at two officers during a three-hour standoff.
MCAO agrees to dismiss suit seeking to compel state to execute Gunches
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office agreed to dismiss the civil suit seeking to compel the state to be prepared to dole out the death penalty after the new director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry confirmed the state “is now and has been operationally ready to carry out a lawful execution.”
Senate panel approves DOC nominee amidst death penalty debate
A Senate panel voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend the approval of Ryan Thornell as director of the Department of Corrections Rehabilitation & Reentry and discussed the state’s actions related to the death penalty.
Court reinstates death penalty for man who killed University of Arizona professor
The Arizona Supreme Court on Friday reinstated the death penalty against a man convinced of the 1995 murder of University of Arizona music professor Roy Johnson.
Hobbs blasted for plans to defy execution order
Gov. Katie Hobbs is facing heavy pushback from a victim's sister and a powerful county prosecutor for her plans to defy a court order to execute a prisoner next month for his conviction in a 2002 killing.
State won’t carry out execution after warrant issued
Arizona won’t execute the state’s only inmate on death row even after the Arizona Supreme Court issued a death warrant in the case, Gov. Katie Hobbs said on Friday.
Arizona’s death penalty is cruel and unusual; it’s time to abolish it
It’s time to abolish Arizona’s death penalty, once and for all.
Arizona court OKs execution request that AG tried to undo
The Arizona Supreme Court issued a warrant to execute a prisoner even though the state's new Democratic attorney general tried to withdraw her Republican predecessor's request to carry out the execution.
Retired judge picked to review Arizona’s execution process
A retired federal magistrate judge was appointed to review the execution process in Arizona as part of an examination ordered by Gov. Katie Hobbs of procurement of lethal injection drugs and other death penalty protocols due to the state's history of mismanaging executions.
AG withdraws only outstanding motion for death penalty, Hobbs calls for review of execution process
Gov. Katie Hobbs wants an outside review of the state’s death penalty process, arguing the recent executions carried out by the Department of Corrections “have resulted in serious questions about ADCRR’s execution protocols and lack of transparency.”
Gunches withdraws motion for his own death warrant
Death row inmate Aaron Gunches withdrew his motion for his own death warrant, citing the changing attorney general’s office and prior executions, “carried out in a manner that amounts to torture.”
Tennessee names Arizona official as Correction commissioner
Tennessee announced a new Department of Correction commissioner on Tuesday. Frank Strada is deputy director for the Arizona Department of Corrections, where he oversees prison operations, inmate programs, public affairs, facilities management and financial services, according to a news release from Gov. Bill Lee's office.