Gov. Gavin Newsom's death penalty moratorium announcement sparked a massive debate among Californians who called the decision extremely unfair. Now, the decision to seek the death penalty for the man suspected of being the "Golden State Killer" has renewed the controversy.
The Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, tormented, raped, and murdered for decades across California.
At a press conference Thursday, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer joined families of murder victims and denounced Newsom's moratorium. Spitzer announced a "victims of murder justice tour" throughout the state to advocate for the governor to reconsider his decision.
"Governor Newsom took a knife and stabbed it into the heart of all of these crime victims standing here today and thousands of crime victims who received a lawful death sentence in the state of California by a jury," Spitzer said.
DeAngelo was arrested a year ago based on DNA evidence linking him to at least 13 murders and more than 50 rapes across California in the 1970s and '80s.
Newsom's moratorium will only last as long as he is governor and does not eliminate the chance of criminals being sentenced to the death penalty.
However Newsom said he is exploring ways to commute death sentences, which would permanently end the chance of executions.
Read more at CBS.
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