Initiative to Repeal the Death Penalty Makes It to the November Ballot

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Backers of SAFE, the Savings Accountability and Full Enforcement California Act announced they have gathered almost 800,000 signatures -- well over the number needed to get the measure on November's ballot.

Former LA County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, one of the primary backers of the measure, said,

"I can almost guarantee you this is going to pass. Things have changed. When I have
arch-political conservatives sign the petition, and they tell me, "You know, five, ten years ago, I
would have laughed at you, but now -- this is about a colossal waste of money, Gil -- yeah, I'll
sign', and they sign."

The initiative is endorsed by many current and former law-enforcement officers and a broad range of faith organizations.

Perhaps surprisingly, many victims' rights groups support it, too. They say the death penalty does little for victims and spends too much money on the accused. Supporters say the initiative will save the state hundreds of millions of dollars by doing away with the need for the lengthy mandatory appeals process in death-penalty cases. That process also makes it hard for surviving family members to move on from the trauma.

SAFE California would also cut costs by: shortening the trial process in capital cases (because separate sentencing phases would be unnecessary); reducing county jail expenses caused by holding persons during the duration of their initial trial and sentencing; and reducing the need for litigation costs incurred by many state offices during capital murder cases.

Additionally, the act would create a fund from the savings that would be used for grants to local and county authorities to increase personnel, equipment, and training which would increase the rate at which homicide and rapes are solved. The monies for the fund would be transferred from the General Fund over three years, totalling $100 million.

SAFE California would also outline a process in which current offenders under a death sentence would see that sentence commuted to life in prison without parole. Inmates under this sentence would be required to work, unless they pose too great a security risk.

The measure also outlines a process for resolving pending death-penalty appeals and petitions, in part by transferring all such cases from the California Supreme Court to the Courts of Appeals or Superior courts.

But Charles Johnson, conservative journalist and supporter of capital punishment, thinks the money could be saved by retaining the death penalty, but capping the number of appeals allowed.

"It seems to me that there's effectively an endless appeals process. It shouldn't take 30 or 40
years to execute someone."

Franky Carrillo would disagree. Carrillo was convicted of first-degree murder at the age of 16. He was exonerated after 20 years in prison after all the witnesses recanted their testimony. The witnesses claimed police coercion caused them to make false identifications.

Carrillo was too young to be sentenced to death but he is well aware that his age was the only thing standing between him and Death Row. He's now working for Death Penalty Focus.

"But now that I'm part of the people, I'm free. I can vote. I feel an obligation to not only share
my story, but to get involved. I think it would be tragic of me to get out after what I've gone
through and just sit around and do nothing."

When asked why he had any faith that a system that had gotten it so wrong could be reformed, he teared up.

"I really have to base it on a childhood memory of 'pledge allegiance to the flag' and the last
word being...'and justice for all'. And for some bizarre reason, I suppose, that was just kind of
my anchor -- 'This is a mistake. Mistakes can be corrected, and just hold on and wait.'"

A September field poll found that 68% of Californians support abolishing the death penalty.