Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe earlier today commuted the death sentence of Ivan Teleguz, who was scheduled to be executed this Tuesday. There was no physical evidence, and questionable witness testimony, of Teleguz’s guilt in the death of his ex-girlfriend in 2001. McAuliffe commuted the 38-year-old Teleguz’s sentence to life without parole.
WHSV reported that McAuliffe said at a news conference,”Because the sentencing phase of Mr. Teleguz’s trial was flawed, I must commute his capital sentence to life in prison without parole.” The station said that McAuliffe believed that Teleguz was guilty, but also believed that jurors were given false testimony, including that Teleguz was a member of the Russian Maffia, and for that reason he was commuting his sentence to life without parole.