Eugene Wanger left his mark early on Michigan history, serving at age 28 as a delegate to Michigan's constitutional convention. He advocated for and drafted the anti-death penalty provision, as well as provisions expanding the powers of the state's auditor general. Although Michigan had long banned the death penalty by statute, Wanger told the Lansing State Journal that he was motivated to enshrine the death penalty ban in the constitution by the fear that without constitutional protection it would be too easy for "tough-on-crime" lawmakers to repeal the state law.
Now Wanger has given Michigan another gift. He has donated 48 boxes of historical documents, the centerpiece of which is material from the development of the 1963 constitution, to the state archives. State Archivist Mark Harvey describes Wanger's donation as one of the "most valuable and unique collections ever given to the state."
Another Michigan lawyer, Wanger's wife Marilyn, played a role in the gift-giving. "She was pleased we're getting all of that stuff out of our house," Wanger told the State Journal.
Read "Lansing resident who penned state's death penalty ban donates documents".
