Story highlights Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued a moratorium on executions Friday

Wolf: System is error prone and inherently biased

Wolf waiting until a state task force examining capital punishment issues its recommendations

(CNN) Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf halted all executions in his state Friday, citing the state's "error prone" justice system and "inherent biases" among his reasons for the moratorium.

"I take this action only after significant consideration and reflection," Wolf said Friday. "There is perhaps no more weighty a responsibility assigned to the governor than his or her role as the final check in the capital punishment process."

Wolf, a Democrat who ran his family's cabinet manufacturing business before becoming governor in January, said the moratorium would be in place until a task force examining capital punishment in Pennsylvania issues its final report.

"If the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is going to take the irrevocable step of executing a human being, its capital sentencing system must be infallible," he said. "Pennsylvania's system is riddled with flaws, making it error prone, expensive and anything but infallible."

It is a flawed system steeped in bigotry, according to Wolf.

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