District Attorneys Protest Measure that Would End Death Penalty

In November, the death penalty may die in California. However, those who are charged with seeking the penalty marched against the initiative.

Already qualified for the November Ballot is the SAFE California Act, which would banish the death penalty in the state. For those already facing the punishment, their sentence would be converted to life in prison without parole. That means 725 death row inmates would have a new lease on life in prison.

Prosecutors say that the penalty is not used lightly, or on those whose guilt is anything but iron clad. However, proponents say that the question is one of budgeting. They say that the $184 million it costs California each year to have the death penalty is money that could be better used elsewhere. For instance, the ballot measure would redirect $100 million of the savings to investigate unsolved murders and rapes.

From the San Bernardino Sun:

San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos was among fellow top prosecutors at the steps of the state Capitol on Tuesday voicing their opposition to a measure that aims to abolish California’s death penalty.

The California District Attorneys Association, of which Ramos is past president, is opposed to the SAFE California Act, a November ballot measure that would replace the death penalty with the punishment of life in prison without parole.

The measure to abolish the death penalty official qualified for the November ballot on Monday.

Read the full article here.