DA Seth Williams Challenges Gov. Wolf's Death Penalty Moratorium
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The top prosecutor in Pennsylvania's largest city is challenging Gov. Tom Wolf's death penalty moratorium, telling the state's highest court that the action was illegal and unconstitutional.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams. It comes five days after Wolf said he would issue reprieves at least until he receives a report from a legislative commission that has been studying the issue since 2011.
The case raised in Williams' filing involves Terrance Williams, who was convicted of the 1984 robbing and fatal tire-iron beating of another man. Since then, his death sentence has been fought in state and federal courts.
Williams' execution had been scheduled for March 4.
But Pennsylvania inmates facing execution have routinely been able to win delays, with the state's last execution carried out in 1999.
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