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D.A. Hochman officially brings death penalty back to Los Angeles
Los Angeles Times ^ | March 25, 2025 | James Queally

Posted on 03/25/2025 8:36:32 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman will allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty again in Los Angeles, undoing one of the signature policies of his predecessor, George Gascón.

The move comes as little surprise: Hochman campaigned on the issue almost as soon as he announced his challenge to Gascón in 2023. But it still marks a significant shift in one of the largest prosecutor’s offices in the nation.

Under California law, the death penalty can only be sought in cases where a defendant is accused of murder with special circumstances. That can include multiple homicides or cases where the victim is a law enforcement officer or witness to a crime. If prosecutors do not seek the death penalty in such cases, defendants face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“I remain unwaveringly committed to the comprehensive and thorough evaluation of every special circumstance murder case prosecuted in Los Angeles County, in consultation with the murder victim’s survivors and with full input on the mitigating and aggravating factors of each case, to ensure that the punishment sought by the Office is just, fair, fitting, and appropriate,” Hochman said in a statement.

In an interview with The Times the day after he defeated Gascón, Hochman said he would only pursue capital punishment in “rare cases,” such as school shootings, domestic terror attacks or the killing of a police officer.

Hochman said Tuesday the new death penalty policy will give defense attorneys a chance to present evidence of mitigating factors to the office’s Special Circumstances Committee, which will decide when a prosecutor can seek capital punishment in a case.

The committee will be led by Chief Deputy Steve Katz, or a designate of his choosing, as well as three other high-level prosecutors, according to a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; capitalpunishment; crime; georgegascon; hochman; jamesqueally; karenbass; losangeles; losangelescounty; losangelesslimes; losangelestimes; nathanhochman; prosecutors; stevekatz

1 posted on 03/25/2025 8:36:32 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Capital punishment needs to be available.

It also needs to be very rare, and very difficult to sentence.

Giving government the power over life and death is most certainly not a good idea.

2 posted on 03/25/2025 8:47:37 PM PDT by Teacher317
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To: Teacher317

I wish to God the death penalty was never necessary. I really do.


3 posted on 03/25/2025 8:49:46 PM PDT by Bullish (I've never seen such morons... Have you?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Maybe Rose Bird will block it.


4 posted on 03/25/2025 9:06:11 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Teacher317

It also needs to be VERY SWIFT. Languishing in a cell for decades on the taxpayer dime is pointless.


5 posted on 03/25/2025 9:07:15 PM PDT by Spacetrucker
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To: Bullish

I am very much pro-death penalty and I wholeheartedly agree with you. However, with violent criminal behavior not showing any lessening there does not appear to be a chance of that happening.


6 posted on 03/25/2025 9:08:54 PM PDT by Spacetrucker
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To: Teacher317

“It also needs to be very rare, and very difficult to sentence.”

It has been throughout my life. So serial killers like Richard Speck and Richard Ramirez lived ripe old lives and had all kinds of fun ruling the prison.

Then there is Ted Bundy who murdered some coeds in Florida, after escaping from prison. He finally hit a death penalty state.


7 posted on 03/25/2025 9:16:53 PM PDT by Luke21
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Good to hear.


8 posted on 03/25/2025 9:22:32 PM PDT by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: ansel12

Unlikely since she passed in 1999..


9 posted on 03/25/2025 9:33:23 PM PDT by RitchieAprile (available monkeys looking for the change..)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Doesn’t matter. California supreme Court refuses to carry it out. Most death row inmates die of natural causes


10 posted on 03/25/2025 9:34:26 PM PDT by DarrellZero
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To: RitchieAprile

I was curious how many remembered her, she was quite the issue at one time.


11 posted on 03/25/2025 9:42:10 PM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Bullish

We ALL do.


12 posted on 03/25/2025 10:06:55 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: Spacetrucker

At all.


13 posted on 03/25/2025 10:07:13 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: ansel12

That she was. Good riddance.


14 posted on 03/26/2025 5:04:53 AM PDT by null and void (Americans are a people increasingly separated by our connectivity. H/T MortMan)
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To: Teacher317

The death penalty does not need to be rare. It must be prevalent and noticeable.

Preserving life for the sole purpose of preserving life is costly toward society. Executions must be carried out swiftly absent all the falderal lawyer welfare that drags out the execution for decades.

Society needs the capability to rid its self of criminals


15 posted on 03/26/2025 5:17:27 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Where is ZORRO when California so desperately needs him?)
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To: Bullish
So do I. And I also wish that people wouldn't murder others. And I wish that people wouldn't traffick fentanyl and heroin (yes,I support the DP for drug trafficking...just like they do in Singapore).
16 posted on 03/26/2025 5:46:25 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: DarrellZero
Doesn’t matter. California supreme Court refuses to carry it out. Most death row inmates die of natural causes

CA Supreme Court is not the problem...

Governor has to sign the warrant for execution...Gavin Newsom stated that he will not sign the warrant while he is Governor...Next CA governor could decide to sign the execution warrant...Gavin Newsom cannot stop the next governor from doing so...Newsom is leaving Sacramento in January 2027...

17 posted on 03/26/2025 10:14:22 AM PDT by L.A.Justice
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To: bert

I agree. I don’t understand all the heart wringing over rapist killers and depraved murderers.

The victims seem to get the short end of the stick. First they are killed and then forgotten while everyone worries about the killers “rights”!


18 posted on 03/26/2025 11:46:07 AM PDT by packrat35 (Pureblood! No clot shot for me!)
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