York County District Attorney Tom Kearney is reaching out to Governor Tom Wolf about the upcoming execution of convicted killer Hubert Michael Junior. A judge sentenced Michael to death for the murder of York County teen Trista Eng. The crime happened in 1993 and Michael has been on death row for nearly 20 years.
“It has been 22 years since that young girl died. Enough is enough,” said York County District Attorney Tom Kearney.
He’s scheduled to be executed on June 5th. But, the governor’s moratorium puts a hold on his death date. Kearney wrote a letter to the governor asking him to reconsider his actions.
“When you raise your hand and you take an oath to fulfill the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania you should do it despite your own personal beliefs in a matter,” said Kearney.
Last month Eng’s family testified at a death penalty moratorium hearing in Philadelphia. They explained how the moratorium has taken away their hope for closure.
“How would you feel if for 21 1/2 years there was still no closure to your loved ones we’re now making sure the governor wolf is now making sure our family and every other victim’s family has no closure,” said Morgan Eng, on March 24th.
Governor Wolf’s office responded to Kearney’s letter saying, “The Governor has issued temporary reprieves in death penalty cases because he is concerned that the entire system is flawed, and he will await the report of the bi-partisan commission established by the Pennsylvania State Senate.”
A report on the review of the state’s capital punishment system is expected at the end of the year.
