BOISE, Idaho — The review hearing for Idaho's longest-serving death-row inmate, Thomas Creech, has been delayed.
According to court documents, the original Idaho Supreme Court hearing, set for November 2, 2023, was to hear oral arguments on whether the execution should proceed. That date was canceled and moved to February 5, 2024.
Before that hearing, the Commission of Pardons and Parole will hold a commutation hearing on January 19, 2024, to consider changing Creech’s death sentence to life in prison.
As KTVB reported, An Idaho judge on Oct. 12 issued a death warrant for Thomas Creech, the state’s longest-serving death row inmate. Creech was convicted of killing two people in Valley County in 1974 and sentenced to death. After an appeal, however, that sentence was reduced to life in prison.
Less than 10 years later, he was convicted of beating another man in custody, David Jensen, to death with a sock full of batteries. Creech was sentenced to death for that crime in 1983.
After the death warrant was issued, the Idaho Department of Correction said Creech would be executed by lethal injection on Nov. 8 and said they already had the necessary chemicals.
Creech’s attorneys with the nonprofit Federal Defender Services of Idaho petitioned the parole board to schedule the sentence review hearing. In their 256-page filing, they argued that Creech, 73, should be allowed to live out his days in prison and die of natural causes, the Idaho Statesman reported.
In the clemency hearing petition, Creech described himself as a “devout Christian” and apologized to the family of the man he killed in prison for the pain he caused them. He said he was remorseful for all of his crimes, according to the petition.
Court documents moving the date listed below:
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