Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens have all come out in favor of preserving California’s death penalty.
The death penalty should be “for the worst of the worst,” McDonnell said Monday night at an event dubbed, “Mend, Don’t End California’s Death Penalty.” Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens also spoke at the event, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The officials’ goal is to oppose Proposition 62, which would abolish replace executions with life without parole, and support Proposition 66, which aims to speed up executions in California.
Lacey cited the case of the “Grim Sleeper” serial killer, who is expected to get the sentence this morning, saying at a news conference in Monterey Park Monday that the death penalty should be reserved for the few cases involving “evil, reckless disregard for human life.”
Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti said in a statement to The Times that he has reversed his position on the death penalty, opposing it because “it’s a total waste of money and of no useful purpose.”
“Every attempt to change the failed death penalty system over the past 40 years has made it worse and more expensive,” he said. “Prop. 66 is no different.”
