Governor proposes expanding into cells opened by Prop 47.
California has long been known as one of the most progressive states in the union on a variety of social issues. However, we have lagged behind on one issue: the death penalty. California still technically has the death penalty. However, after decades of litigation we are left with a broken system in which inmates are still being sentenced to death despite the fact that the state has no legal, approved execution method. The old 3-drug lethal injection method was barred by state and federal courts in 2006.
Another issue is that the appeals process for capital cases in California is incredibly slow. Last year a federal judge actually called the delay-riddled process “unconstitutionally cruel.”
The end result of these two issues is that men and women are spending years and years on death row, in suspense about their fate. Forty-nine inmates have actually died in prison since 2006, but with an estimated average of 20 new inmates convicted each year, numbers of death row inmates are still climbing.
There are currently 751 death row inmates in California, and no more room to accommodate new arrivals. Instead of addressing the root cause of the issue, namely our broken death penalty system, Governor Jerry Brown is proposing a stop-gap measure that will create more death row cells.
The 20 women on death row in California are housed in a prison near Chowchilla, and they have enough space. The 731 men, on the other hand, are already spilling out of their accommodations at San Quentin, which can house 715 inmates. Currently, 708 inmates are at San Quentin, and the rest are either in long-term medical facilities or being held for court hearings in other locations.
Governor Brown’s proposal will open up 100 new cells for death row inmates in a different wing of San Quentin. His $3.2 million budget includes funds for renovation and for the additional guard staff that will be needed.
Another Impact of Prop 47
It is very important to point out that the only reason there is space available to convert into death row cells in San Quentin is that voters passed a sentencing reform measure last year called Prop 47. The primary purpose of Prop 47 was to help keep more non-violent, low-level offenders out of the prison system. Prop 47 accomplished this by taking felony charges off the table for many minor theft and drug crimes, and allowing individuals previously convicted of these crimes to petition for resentencing and early release. As a result of these reforms, overcrowding has eased in prisons around the state, including at San Quentin.
Need a Defense Attorney?
Even with some reforms in place, the California judicial system remains a confusing and daunting place. The good news is that if you hire Dan E. Chambers as your defense attorney, he will do everything in his power to resolve your case as quickly and favorably as possible to help prevent your case from getting sucked into an endless appeals process. Call 714-760-4088 now for your free consultation.
