Skelton: Time to end California’s death penalty

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In California, the death penalty is on the books but it’s really more of a theory then a reality. The state has executed only 13 people in the last 34 years.

George Skelton says in Thursday’s column that it’s time to end the charade and support Proposition 34, which would abolish the death penalty.

The problem, Skelton says, isn’t that capital punishment is wrong.

‘You won’t see any arguments here about the death penalty being immoral, unfair or barbaric. I don’t buy it,’ he writes.

However, the death penalty is very expensive and rarely used, Skelton says.

State and county governments could end up saving $130 million a year if voters approve Proposition 39. The ballot measure would also provide $100 million to local law enforcement agencies over four years.

All of Skelton’s columns are here.

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