NEW: Chafee Will Appeal Jason Pleau Decision
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Governor Chafee plans to appeal the 1st Circuit Court’s decision to force the state to turn over accused murderer Jason Pleau to the feds to the Supreme Court, the Governor said Wednesday.
Chafee issued the following statement:
“After reviewing the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals en banc opinion, and weighing the state’s considerable interests, I have decided to appeal the 1st Circuit’s decision. Given the close vote of the full court, which demonstrates a genuine split in the interpretation of the law, the State of Rhode Island must seek to protect both the strong states’ rights issues at stake and the legitimacy of its longstanding public policy against the death penalty. My in-house legal staff has been handling this case and will continue to do so as part of their routine duties at no additional cost to the taxpayers of Rhode Island.
“The National Governors Association, which represents the Governors of all 50 states, the Federal Public Defender’s Office, and the American Civil Liberties Union all stood with Rhode Island in the appeal before the 1st Circuit, and their support is indicative of the state’s strong position.
“As I have said throughout this long process, I regret that each time this case appears in the news it causes further pain for the Main family. I extend once again my most sincere condolences to them for their terrible loss, which resulted from such a senseless crime.”
