Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs does not have to carry out the execution of a convicted murderer, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on March 22.
Justices rejected a bid from Karen Price, whose brother was killed by Aaron Gunches in 2002.
“The Arizona statute governing warrants of execution states that this Court’s role is to ‘issue a warrant of execution that authorizes the director of the state department of corrections to carry out the execution,’” the court said. “This statutory ‘authorization’ does not serve as a basis for a writ of mandamus, which ‘seeks to compel a public official to perform a nondiscretionary duty imposed by law.’”…