In his final days in office, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak made a bold move by trying to pardon or reduce the sentences of Nevada’s death row prisoners- all 57 of them. He explicitly told constituents that he wanted to clear death row in Nevada before he left office and hoped that the pardons board would support him in its last 2022 meeting.
However, what was seen as a potential success for capital punishment abolitionists left the families of the victims feeling jarred and angered, especially since they were unaware that the governor was trying to use his executive power to force through these commutations. This last-minute request from the governor threw off both criminal justice reformists and those in favor of capital punishment.
On December 16, Mineral County District Attorney T. Jaren Stanton released a statement saying he had grave concerns with Sisolak’s plan to commute the death sentences of Nevada’s 57 death row inmates.
“The Governor’s intention was announced only days before the action is set to take place, rather than the weeks of notice that are normally provided. Due process is a fundamental component of our laws and protects victims of crime, not just offenders. Providing notice to victims and the opportunity for them to be heard are rights codified in the Nevada Constitution. I, and my fellow Nevada District Attorneys, are considering several legal options to protect the victims of crime and ensure procedural processes codified in law are followed,” Stanton wrote.
In the past, Sisolak has flip-flopped on the capital punishment issue, first appearing to be in favor of abolishing the death penalty and then communicating opposition towards it as it was nearing legislation. He did admit that his views regarding capital punishment changed after the Las Vegas shootings in 2017. Perhaps his original intent to abolish the death penalty was to try to garner support from Democrats during the midterm election, but Sisolak denied that expressing views about Nevada’s death penalty law was a factor in his campaign.
Meanwhile, district attorneys across the state were doing all they could to support their clients and families of the victims, who are forever scarred by the actions of death row prisoners. Following Sisolak’s request to commute the felons, Reno District Attorney Chris Hicks filed an emergency petition, calling it unjust and undemocratic. A few days later, Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson Jr. ruled that while Nevada’s pardons board has the authority to grant these commutations, it failed to notify the families of the victims before the pardons board meeting/vote was set to take place.
“I think that is required to show the capital murder victim fairness and respect for his or her dignity,” Judge Wilson commented.
On December 19, T. Jaren Stanton responded to the ruling by saying, “Earlier this evening, Nevada District Judge James Wilson issued an order prohibiting the Pardon Board from considering commuting the death sentences of all fifty-seven individuals on death row in Nevada.
“This prohibition stops the Governor’s proposed action, announced late last week. I applaud the decision of Judge Wilson to uphold our Nevada laws and protect the rights of victims of crime and their families. I will continue to preserve the rights of victims and ensure their Constitutional right to be heard is secured.”
When asked how Mineral County is affected by this ruling, Stanton replied, “The decision to seek the death penalty in a case is not one a prosecutor makes lightly and without full consideration of the facts of the case, the underlying history of the defendant, and other relevant information. Because of that, it is rarely sought and there are currently no Nevada inmates on death row who were sentenced to that punishment out of Mineral County.
However, on February 11, 1982, William Bryon Leonard was sentenced in the Fifth Judicial District of the State of Nevada in and for the County of Mineral “for the term of rest of your life” for the murder of Lawrence Joseph Dunn. Leonard was sent to prison in Carson City. While in prison, Leonard killed another inmate and was sentenced to death.
Regardless of the connection or lack thereof to Mineral County, the Mineral County District Attorney’s Office has an interest in preserving the rights of all victims of crime and works to facilitate justice.”
