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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control

Gregoire won’t stop Cal Brown execution

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire said this afternoon she will not commute the sentence of Cal Brown for the torture, rape and murder of Holly Washa.

Brown, who confessed to the murder, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1994, and has lost subsequent appeals to overturn the sentence. The Clemency and Pardons Board split 2-2 last year on whether to commute the sentence; Gregoire said she reviewed the request and the record of the case and "found no basis to reverse his conviction or change the death sentence imposed by the jury."

He is scheduled to be executed Thursday night.



Jim Camden
Jim Camden joined The Spokesman-Review in 1981 and retired in 2021. He is currently the political and state government correspondent covering Washington state.

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