OCDA Speaks For Victims, Families At Victims' Rights March

ORANGE COUNTY, CA —Family members of murder victims rallied at the Victims' Rights March in Orange County, to stand shoulder to shoulder in a show of solidarity after California's governor has declared an end to the death penalty during his term of office.

This year, in advance of the accused Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo's pretrial hearing, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer made his stance clear.

"Gov. Newsom, if not the Golden State Killer, then who" should face the death penalty? Spitzer asked.

Spitzer told crime victims and their families that he will be meeting with top state prosecutors regarding the Golden State Killer case and that he plans to personally share a video of the crime victims rally in Orange County with that office.

"I hope, governor, that you will watch and listen," he said. "I hope you understand the magnitude of your decision."

The brother of Golden State Killer victim Keith Harrington told reporters Wednesday's hearing in Sacramento County Superior Court is "very, very important."

DeAngelo is also charged with killing Keith Harrington's wife, Patti, in August 1980 in Dana Point, along with two women in Irvine in 1981 and 1986.

"We consider the Golden State Killer the worst of the worst," Ron Harrington said.

Newsom "decided to inject his own personal opinion relative to the death penalty," he said. "Before the election, Gov. Newsom gave multiple interviews saying he would follow the will of the people and the law of California."

Harrington encouraged reporters to dig up as many clips of the governor as possible before the election when asked about capital punishment, saying he and others are "very concerned" that the death penalty will be taken off the table in DeAngelo's case.

Steve Herr, whose son Sam was murdered by Daniel Wozniak, who was sentenced to death for killing him and his friend, Julie Kibuishi, also railed against Newsom's cessation of the death penalty.

"I took comfort that Wozniak would eventually face his deserved fate," Herr said. "But a few weeks ago our healing crashed. Needless to say, I was utterly devastated."

The governor "not only reopened old wounds, he opened up new ones," Herr said.

At the rally, Spitzer also criticized measures taken to reduce prison overcrowding over the last several years and pledged to back a proposal in 2020 to modify Proposition 57, which voters approved in 2016, to allow for more opportunities for parole and early release due to good behavior.

Spitzer said his prosecutors could not argue the entire criminal history at a parole hearing anymore.

"That's abominable," he said.

Spitzer argued that parolees were winning release at a 12 percent rate before Proposition 57, but that number has jumped to 35 percent.

"We're going back to the voters of California to reverse the nonsense of Prop. 57," Spitzer said, adding that a list of crimes needs to be added to what is legally considered a violent crime.