Death row killer set to fight for his right to die

A death row inmate in Oregon has called the governor of the state, John Kitzhaber, a "coward" for announcing a moratorium on all executions for the remainder of his term.

Double murderer Gary Haugen had been scheduled to die by lethal injection on December 7.

That date with the executioner was abruptly put off when Kitzhaber, a Democrat, closed the death chamber, saying the capital punishment system was "compromised and inequitable".

The governor's move re-energised the legal duelling nationally between defenders of the death penalty and those who oppose it.

Polls show growing support for punishments other than death for some categories of prisoner, including murderers, while an increasing number of states that have the death penalty are moving to reconsider and possibly repeal it. Illinois banned it this year.

Haugen, who made his complaint to an Oregon newspaper, initially applauded the decision but then changed his mind. He said that after a few days' reflection he had concluded that the governor had "basically pulled a coward's move" because he was acting on his own beliefs and not respecting the wishes of the voters who had supported the reinstatement of the death penalty in the state in 1984.

Haugen, who killed the mother of his former girlfriend in 1980 as well as a prison inmate eight years ago, is preparing to seek legal advice on whether the governor is within his rights to stop executions.

"I think there's got to be some constitutional violations. Man, this is definitely cruel and unusual punishment," he suggested.

"You don't bring a guy to the table twice and then just stop it."

- INDEPENDENT