David Chapman, interim Public Defender for King County, issued the following statement on Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement Tuesday to place a moratorium on executions in Washington state:

“I’m deeply encouraged by Governor Inslee’s decision to place a moratorium on executions in our state. This was a courageous move on his part and an important one, as it affords us an opportunity to begin a much-needed statewide discussion about this controversial and costly penalty. Questions abound about whether the death penalty is fair or equitable and about whether we, as a society, want state-sanctioned violence to be our answer to violence in our society. The Innocence Project, meanwhile, has proven that our system of justice is fallible. And once a person is executed, exoneration is meaningless.

“Governor Inslee has given us the time-out we need to begin this conversation and address these critical issues. I applaud his courage and his leadership.”