BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole held a commutation hearing on Friday for Thomas Creech, the state’s longest-serving death row inmate. Creech, 73, has been on death row since 1983 for the 1981 beating death of fellow inmate David Jensen. His defense team is seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole, rather than the death penalty.
The commission’s decision to grant Creech the commutation hearing in October led to the postponement of his scheduled November execution. Under Idaho law, the commission will make a recommendation to the governor, who is not obligated to follow it. The hearing brought forth emotional testimony from Creech’s supporters and the family of his last victim.
Ada County deputy prosecutor Jill Longhurst highlighted Creech’s extensive history of violence, which includes five murder convictions in three states: Idaho, Oregon, and California. Creech had previously been incarcerated for the 1974 murders of Edward T. Arnold and John Wayne Bradford and had prior convictions related to murders in Oregon and California.
In an effort to portray Creech as a changed man, defense attorney Jonah Horwitz emphasized the positive influence Creech had on younger inmates and presented statements from Creech’s family and friends. Horwitz also addressed unethical practices by a former defense attorney for Creech, which led to inflated numbers around the amount of people Creech had confessed to killing.
Creech himself expressed remorse during the hearing and read a poem to the commission. However, questions arose regarding the number of murders Creech had actually committed, with conflicting information provided by Creech.
The hearing also shed light on broader capital punishment policy issues before the Idaho Legislature, including the recent inclusion of the firing squad as a legal form of execution due to challenges in obtaining the chemicals used in lethal injection. Additionally, a proposed bill to expand the death penalty to include lewd conduct with a child younger than age 12 has sparked further debate in the state.
The commission is now deliberating in executive session and will issue a written recommendation for the governor at a later date. Throughout the hearing, impassioned pleas for mercy and cries for justice created a poignant backdrop for the decision that awaits Idaho’s leaders.