New ACLU report claims California’s death penalty is already dead

The ACLU of Northern California has released this notable new report on the Golden State’s death penalty system. The report his titled, “California’s Death Penalty is Dead: Anatomy of a Failure,” and here is part of the executive summary:

California’s death penalty is dead.  Prosecutors, legislators and taxpayers are turning to permanent imprisonment with no chance of parole as evidence grows that the system is costly, risky, and dangerous to public safety.  New polls also indicate that voters favor replacing the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole, with a requirement for work and restitution paid to the Victims’ Compensation Fund.

Most significantly, only three death sentences were handed down in California from January to June 2011, compared with the same period last year when there were 13.  This is the lowest number of new death sentences in a six month period since the death penalty was reinstated in 1978, and a clear indicator that district attorneys and jurors across the state are turning away from the death penalty.  On average, 49% of death sentences are decided in the first six months of the year.  This means that California may be on track for a total of less than 10 death sentences in 2011 — the lowest number in 33 years.

Three other related developments reveal a system in total collapse:

California has not executed anyone since 2006 and there is no reason to believe that executions will ever resume…..

Death penalty promoters have been snubbed at the ballot box….

Death penalty costs are extraordinary and detrimental to public safety at a time of economic crisis.

Some recent related posts:

• “California’s idea of the death penalty is to bore them to death”
• California legislative panel advances proposal to put state DP repeal on 2012 ballot
• Will cost arguments convince California voters to ditch the death penalty in 2012?