/ Green River Killer

10:11 AM PST on Saturday, January 24, 2004

From KING 5 Staff and Wire Reports

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Many Washington state lawmakers are upset about the precedent by the Gary Ridgway case and they're taking steps to prohibit any more plea bargains in mass murder cases.

During a public hearing at the House Judiciary Committee on proposals to prohibit plea bargains in multiple-murder cases, lawyers in other murder cases argued that if the killer of 48 women doesn't get the death penalty, then nobody should.

King County prosecutors agreed to spare Ridgway's life in return for his cooperation in clearing cases and finding the remains of victims. Instead of the death penalty he was sentenced to life in prison.

KING/NWCN Confessed Green River serial killer Gary Ridgway listens to a judge during his formal sentencing in a courtroom in Seattle Thursday, December 18, 2003.

But it doesn’t sit well in Olympia, where the House Judiciary Committee is considering proposals to prohibit plea bargains in multiple murders.

King County prosecutor Norm Maleng, who made the Ridgway deal, defended his decision before the committee. He said the case was stagnant and police and prosecutors needed more information.

"So I entered into a agreement based on mercy,” he said. “Not for Ridgway - he doesn’t deserve to live - but mercy for victims and families of victims."

One bill introduced in Olympia would prohibit plea deals with mass murderers. Another bill would give victims’ families more say concerning a plea agreement.

The bills’ sponsors said something needs to be done because there have been 42 serial murder cases in Washington state in the past 40 years.