Prisoners seek postponement in death warrant litigation

PHOENIX — Two death-row prisoners have asked the Arizona Supreme Court to hold off on scheduling litigation over warrants that would trigger the state’s first executions in almost seven years. Atwood’s lawyers, who didn’t specify a postponement date, asked the court to reject the litigation schedule proposed by Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office, arguing the plan made by prosecutors would bar the “presentation of evidence of Mr. Atwood’s innocence.” “In the absence of visitation with his legal team or necessary experts, Mr. Dixon cannot prepare for, or meaningfully access, the clemency proceedings the state affords him,” wrote Cary Sandman, one of Dixon’s attorneys. “Attorney General Brnovich remains undeterred in upholding the law and ensuring the last word still belongs to the innocent victims who can no longer speak for themselves.” Arizona put executions on hold after the 2014 death of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over two hours. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, a newly elected prosecutor who has promised not to pursue the death penalty, wrote a letter to Brnovich two weeks ago asking for a temporary hold on death warrants from Pima County while her office reviews the cases.