Washington state rules death penalty unconstitutional

Washington.
(Image credit: iStock)

The Washington state Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the death penalty violates the state constitution, The Seattle Times reports.

Prisoners on death row have had their sentences converted to lifetime imprisonment. The justices said that they ruled the death penalty unlawful because "it is imposed in an arbitrary and racially biased manner."

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.