Effort to Reform State’s Death Penalty System Gets Underway

Several groups wanting to kick-start an overhaul to the state’s death row system have submitted measures to the Attorney General’s Office to make it happen.

The measure calls for closure of San Quentin’s death row and relocation of the inmates housed there. It also calls for a change in the system, asking that cases not be allowed to be automatically appealed to the state’s Supreme Court. Instead, the new law would move most of the appeals to other courts.

“Essentially, California death penalty appeals take far too long to process,” said Kent Scheidegger, from Criminal Justice Legal. “They’re taking 20 to 25 years, and it doesn’t need to take that long. The issues are pretty straightforward, they can be decided much faster than that.”

Signatures will be collected beginning early in 2014. If supporters gather enough signatures, the measure could appear on the ballot next November.