Senate Republican Leader Grove Issues Statement on Future Criminal Cases Seeking the Death Penalty

SACRAMENTO – Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) released the following statement regarding the Governor’s intention to administratively end imposition of the death penalty:

“I’m concerned that the Governor may circumvent state laws on the death penalty. His intention to place a prohibition on future cases seeking the death penalty undermines local elected officials whom we’ve placed our trust in to prosecute, as they deem necessary, the most egregious criminal cases.

“We have a responsibility to the families of victims such as 8-year-old Michael Lyons who was killed by a serial sexual predator, and 12-year-old Polly Klaas who was snatched from her mother’s home and murdered by the hands of a repeat offender, to provide them a sense of closure and justice.

“As the top cop for California, the Attorney General must get involved and help law enforcement and district attorneys protect the victims and their families,” said Leader Grove.