Judge clears way for Oregon's first execution in 14 years

By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press Published: Oct 7, 2011 at 11:22 AM PDT
Judge clears way for Oregon's first execution in 14 years
Death-row inmate Gary Haugen is lead into the Marion County Courthouse Friday, Oct. 7 2011, in Salem, Ore. A judge will decide Friday whether death-row inmate Gary Haugen will get his wish to be executed. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A judge has found a death row inmate competent to waive appeals and be executed, and indicated he's likely to sign an order for Oregon's first execution in 14 years.

Marion County Judge Joseph Guimond said Friday he's heard no evidence to preclude a warrant authorizing the execution by lethal injection of Gary Haugen, who's twice been convicted of murder.

Prosecutors said they are tentatively planning to request an execution date of Dec. 6.

Haugen was sentenced to death in 2007 for the murder four years earlier of a fellow inmate.

At the time, he was serving a sentence for the murder of his former girlfriend's mother.

Oregon has executed two people since voters reinstated the death penalty in 1984.

Both of them also waived appeals.

 

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.