--- title: 'NEW VOICES: California Moratorium Bill Gains Broad Support From Law Enforcement, Prosecutors and Judges' description: 'A group of 40 law enforcement officers, current and former prosecutors, and judges at the state and federal level have urged California lawmakers to enact…' canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-voices-california-moratorium-bill-gains-broad-support-from-law-enforcement-prosecutors-and-judges' section: news date: '2006-01-13T20:08:00-05:00' updated: '2025-03-14T14:24:10-04:00' source: 'Death Penalty Information Center' --- A group of 40 law enforcement officers, current and former prosecutors, and judges at the state and federal level have urged California lawmakers to enact a temporary halt to executions in the state while a commission examines the accuracy and fairness of the death penalty. In a letter to members of the California Assembly, the bi-partisan group of death penalty supporters and opponents wrote, "\[G\]iven that DNA testing and other new evidence has proven that more than 121 people who sat on death rows around the country were actually innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted, we agree that a temporary suspension of executions in California is necessary while we ensure, as much as possible, that the administration of criminal justice in this state is just, fair, and accurate." The legislation, Assembly Bill 1121, calls for a moratorium on executions until January 1, 2009, two years after the newly-established California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice is set to submit its findings to the legislature and Governor. The letter noted, "We believe that it is not only pragmatic, but prudent to halt executions until these recommendations can be fully considered and, if necessary, acted upon." Those signing the letter are listed below: David Angel Active Deputy District Attorney, 1995-present Judge Michael Ballachey Retired, Alameda County Superior Court James J. Brosnahan Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Arizona and California, 1961-1966 Walter F. Brown, Jr. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, C. D. of California, 1989-1994 Judge LaDoris Cordell Retired, Santa Clara County Superior Court Ed Davis Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 1974-1978 Judge Roderic Duncan Retired, Alameda County Superior Court Former Deputy Attorney General, 1962-1963 Jon Duree Former Deputy Attorney General for California, 1976-1981 Bruce Enos Former Deputy District Attorney, Sonoma County, 1977-20005 George Fisher Former Assistant District Attorney, Middlesex County, Mass., 1987-1991 Former Assistant Massachusetts Attorney General, 1991-1992 Professor, Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA Judge Ronald Greenberg Retired, Alameda County Superior Court Associate Justice Joseph Grodin California Supreme Court, 1982-1987 Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, CA Melinda Haag Former Assistant U.S. Attorney C.D. California, 1989-1993 Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 1999-2003 Terrence Hallinan Former District Attorney, City and County of San Francisco, 1995-2004 Ron Hampton Executive Director, National Black Police Association Donald Heller Former Assistant U.S. Attorney E.D. California Former Assistant District Attorney New York County Author of the Briggs Initiative of 1978, which created the present death penalty law in California Sheriff Michael Hennessey Sheriff of the City and County of San Francisco, 1979-Present Aundré M. Herron Former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Jackson County, MO, 1982-1987 Judge Richard Hodge Retired, Alameda County Superior Court Peter M. Horstman Former Deputy District Attorney, Los Angeles County, 1995-2005 Michael J. Hroziencik Former Deputy District Attorney, San Mateo County, 1996-2003 Peter J. Hughes Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Los Angeles and San Diego, CA Former JAG Corp prosecuting attorney John Jordan Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California Former Assistant District Attorney, Manhattan, NY Jan David Karowsky Former Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento County, 1973-1977 Fern Laethem Former Deputy District Attorney, Sacramento County, 1976- 1979 Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, E. D. of California, 1979-1980 Laurie L. Levenson Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Los Angeles, CA, 1981-1989 Professor, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA Michael Lightfoot Former Assistant U.S. Attorney C.D. California, 1968-1971 Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 1964-1968 Ed Medvene Former Assistant U.S. Attorney C.D. California, 1968-1971 Ira Reiner Former District Attorney, Los Angeles County, 1984-1992 Judge Jennie Rhine Retired, Alameda County Superior Court Gordon B. Scott Former Deputy District Attorney, Sonoma County, 1989-2000 Robin Seeley Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 1993-2000 Margo D. Smith Retired Deputy District Attorney, 1976-1979 and 1987-2005 Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 1979-1981 Mai Linh Spencer Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., 1997-2002 Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, D.C., 1997-1998 Carter Stewart Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 2003-2005 John Taylor Former Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County, 1967-1980 Assisted in exoneration of Aaron Owens, wrongfully convicted of double murder Alison Tucher Former Deputy District Attorney, Santa Clara County, 1995-1998 Attorney for Rick Walker, exonerated for murder, 2003 John Vandevelde Former Assistant U.S. Attorney C.D. California, 1976-1980 Tony West Former Assistant U.S. Attorney N.D. California, 1994-1999 Jon Willis Deputy District Attorney, County of Imperial, 2002-Present President, Imperial County District Attorneys’ Association (Letter to the California Assembly in Support of AB 1121, January 9, 2006). See [Innocence](/innocence-and-death-penalty?did=412&scid=6) and [Recent Legislative Activity](/recent-legislative-activity?did=236&scid=40).