NEW VOICES: Former San Francisco Prosecutor Denounces Death Penalty

After years of supporting capital punishment, former San Francisco prosecutor Bill Fazio recently changed his position on the death penalty. Fazio, who now serves as a defense attorney, stated, “Life without parole is a viable alternative.” He noted that he began to reconsider his stance on capital punishment after the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed his sole death penalty conviction. Fazio noted, “It was an error by the trial judge, and it made me realize that after 21 years there was still no closure in the case. If Coleman had gotten life without parole, it would have been over in 1981.” (San Francisco Daily Journal, July 10, 2003). See New Voices.