Arizona Supreme Court Announces a Warrant of Execution Could Be Issued

On Wednesday, the Arizona Supreme Court said there is a possibility that a warrant of execution for death could be issued for death row inmate Murray Hooper.

The state’s high court must file the state’s motion for an execution by the end of the week. At that point Hooper’s lawyers will be able to respond.

When the court considers it on Oct. 12, if the motion is granted, the warrant will be issued that day.


If the Supreme Court issues the warrant, Hooper, 76-year-old, will be the third inmate put to death this year after Arizona recently resumed carrying out executions. The state recently executed Clarence Dixon for a murder in 1978 and Frank Atwood who was convicted of killing an 8 year-old in 1984.

Hooper and two co-defendants were sentenced to death for the New Year’s Eve 1980 murders of a Phoenix man and his mother-in-law during a home robbery.

The other two men convicted died in prison before their sentences could be carried out.

The Attorney General’s Office said there are currently 111 inmates on Arizona’s death row, of which 22 have exhausted their appeals.