WASHINGTON, D.C. – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s Office (AGO) argued today at the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to uphold the death penalty sentence for John Montenegro Cruz.
“Identifying and supporting the true victims of crime is essential to the administration of justice,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “In this case, a police officer was murdered, and his family and community should not have to endure endless attempts by the perpetrator to avoid responsibility for his heinous crime.”
The crime
On May 26, 2003, Cruz shot and killed Tucson police officer Patrick Hardesty, who responded to a hit-and-run crash that Cruz was involved in. When officers tracked him down at a nearby apartment, he lied about who he was.
He took off running when he led officers to a parked vehicle to get his ID. Officer Hardesty chased after him. Cruz shot him five times, at close range, killing him.
Cruz was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to death for the murder.
The issue before SCOTUS
Cruz claims he was not allowed to tell the jury he would be ineligible for parole if he was given a life sentence. He believes he could have avoided the death penalty if the jury had known that. After losing several appeals in Arizona courts, he petitioned the Supreme Court. He argues the Arizona Supreme Court violated SCOTUS precedent. The state argues the ruling was consistent with other Arizona cases addressing the same issue.
In March, SCOTUS agreed to hear Cruz v. Arizona. Chief Deputy Joseph Kanefield argued the case on Tuesday.