Larry Hammond

A convicted murderer whose case was taken by the Arizona Justice Project, which is housed at the College of Law, remains in prison, despite a unanimous vote of the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency to release him, according to an article in The New York Times.

The article, “Governor Rebuffs Clemency Board in Murder Case,” by reporter Adam Liptak, states Gov. Jan Brewer rejected the board’s recommendation that William Macumber be released. Brewer did so, without explanation, in November.

“She denied the application right after she announced that she was running for governor,” Justice Project attorney Katherine Puzauskas told Liptak.

The Justice Project, which was founded by Phoenix attorney Larry Hammond and works to overturn wrongful convictions, took Macumber’s case in 2000. Macumber was convicted of the 1962 murders of a young couple in the desert north of Scottsdale, and has spent 35 years in prison.

To read the full article, click here.