Criminal,
Government
Oct. 23, 2018
Brown can end the death penalty
Before leaving office, Gov. Jerry Brown should take the courageous step of commuting the death sentences of the 743 individuals in California who are awaiting execution.
Erwin Chemerinsky
Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law
Erwin's most recent book is "Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism." He is also the author of "Closing the Courthouse," (Yale University Press 2017).
Before leaving office, Gov. Jerry Brown should take the courageous step of commuting the death sentences of the 743 individuals in California who are awaiting execution. There is ample precedent for this in the actions of governors in other states.
In January 2003, before leaving office, Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 condemned inmates, clearing Illinois' death row. Ryan called the death penalty process "arb...
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