State, Haugen argue that death penalty center doesn't have standing to block execution
A death penalty defense center doesn't have standing to ask a judge to vacate an execution warrant for convicted killer Gary Haugen, the state argued in court papers filed today.
The Oregon Capital Resource Center earlier this week asked the Oregon Supreme Court to invalidate the warrant and order a hearing to determine if Haugen is competent to withdraw his appeals and decide to die.
The organization describes itself as a legal "resource, advocacy, and training center" for attorneys and others representing capital clients. Its director, Jeffrey Ellis, is a board member with Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
The Oregon Department of Justice -- and Haugen himself in a hand-written filing -- oppose the center's attempt to intervene.
"OCRC has no direct interest in Mr. Haugen's case. It does not represent Mr. Haugen in this or any other litigation, and, in fact, it has filed the present petition without Mr. Haugen's consent," the state response said.
Haugen said the center's petition is "unauthorized" and asks the court to dismiss it. He also said he knows what he's doing.
"Wanting to die does not constitute mental illness or delusional thinking that stems from some mental illness disorder," he said.
Haugen disputed findings by Muriel Lezak, a neuropsychologist who examined him, that he suffers from "a delusional disorder."
"She doesn't cite or quote any evidence from her interview that would support the aforementioned conclusion other than my reasons for wanting to be executed," Haugen wrote.
Haugen is scheduled to die by lethal injection on Aug. 16. He and another prisoner, Jason Brumwell, were sentenced to death in 2007 for the murder of a fellow inmate. Haugen had been serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for beating to death his former girlfriend's mother in 1981.
Marion County Circuit Judge Joseph Guimond last month signed Haugen's death warrant after finding Haugen competent.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-no...execution.html
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