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Idaho Death Row Inmate Scheduled for Execution Following Botched Attempt
Thomas Eugene Creech, the longest-serving death row inmate in Idaho, is set to face execution at 10 a.m. on November 13. The announcement follows a previous execution attempt that resulted in failure due to complications in administering the lethal injection.
On October 17, Fourth Judicial District Judge Jason Scott formally issued the death warrant for Creech, which was served to him by the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) at the maximum security institution where he is currently held.
IDOC Director Josh Tewalt confirmed in a statement that preparations for Creech’s execution are underway, revealing that the state has secured the necessary chemicals for the lethal injection process.
This announcement comes just after the department disclosed that adjustments had been made to the execution chamber due to the failed execution attempt on February 28, during which medical staff struggled to establish an IV line while Creech was strapped to a gurney.
According to the IDOC, prior to the scheduled execution twice in 2024, the F Block underwent renovations to create a dedicated preparation area to help facilitate the establishment of venous access for future procedures. The department has also updated its execution protocols to better align with the new environment.
Convicted of murdering five individuals, Creech’s criminal history includes a life sentence related to four killings in 1974 and a death penalty stemming from the murder of a fellow inmate in 1981. Creech has claimed responsibility for numerous other murders, alleging that he committed his first homicide at the age of 15.
In light of the previous execution failure, Idaho’s Attorney General Raul Labrador remarked that it represented a postponement of justice, emphasizing the prolonged anguish felt by the victims’ families over nearly five decades. “Today is a sad day for the families of his victims, and a continuation of the pain they have endured,” he stated in a statement.
In response to the death warrant, Creech’s attorney, Deborah Czuba, expressed her outrage and sadness regarding the decision to proceed with the execution so soon without a thorough investigation into the previous botched attempt. Czuba said, “The level of recklessness puts Idaho in a class by itself, as other states that botched executions took significant steps to examine what went wrong before trying again,” and emphasized that Idaho would be the first state ever to attempt a second execution on the same inmate after a failure.
The IDOC reports that since the death penalty was established in Idaho in 1977, there have been only three executions. Currently, there are nine inmates on death row, including Creech, who has been there since his sentencing in 1983.
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