aware ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁states , ▁along ▁with ▁Alabama , ▁Florida ▁and ▁Indiana , ▁where ▁the ▁judge ▁may ▁override ▁a ▁j ury ▁decision . ▁The ▁stat ute ▁was ▁struck ▁down ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁because ▁the ▁judge ▁decided ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁sentence ▁itself , ▁but ▁also ▁some ▁fact ual ▁find ings ▁necessary ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁def endant ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁capital ▁pun ishment . ▁ ▁The ▁Governor ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁grant ▁a ▁commut ation ▁of ▁the ▁death ▁sentence , ▁but ▁only ▁after ▁receiving ▁a ▁Re comm end ation ▁of ▁Cle men cy ▁From ▁a ▁Board ▁or ▁Ad vis ory ▁Group . ▁The ▁only ▁post - F ur man ▁p ardon ▁was ▁granted ▁by ▁G ov . ▁Jack ▁Mark ell ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁board ▁had ▁recommended ▁a ▁death ▁sentence ▁to ▁be ▁comm uted ▁since ▁the ▁re inst at ement ▁of ▁capital ▁pun ishment ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Capital ▁cr imes ▁ ▁Mur der ▁was ▁pun ish able ▁by ▁death ▁when ▁it ▁involved ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁ag gra v ating ▁factors : ▁The ▁murder ▁was ▁committed ▁by ▁a ▁person ▁in , ▁or ▁who ▁has ▁escaped ▁from , ▁the ▁cust ody ▁of ▁a ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁officer ▁or ▁place ▁of ▁conf in ement . ▁The ▁murder ▁was ▁committed ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁avoid ing ▁or ▁prevent ing ▁an ▁arrest ▁or ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁effect ing ▁an ▁escape ▁from