---
title: 'Prosecutor Forgoes Costly Death Penalty Trial'
description: 'In Alameda County, California, prosecutors announced that they will not seek the death penalty against Richard Dean Wilson because it is unlikely that a…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/prosecutor-forgoes-costly-death-penalty-trial'
section: news
date: '2004-07-30T17:54:44-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:23:37-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

In Alameda County, California, prosecutors announced that they will not seek the death penalty against Richard Dean Wilson because it is unlikely that a jury would return a death sentence. State authories say the decision to seek a life sentence for Wilson avoids a costly death penalty case and saves taxpayer dollars from financing a lengthy trial with an uncertain outcome. Wilson pleaded no contest to the murder of Angela Marie Bledsoe. Prosecutor Jim Anderson noted, "This was the best penalty phase mitigation I have ever seen. We thought...the likelihood of getting a death vote on this guy was small. The best we would have ever gotten was hung jury after hung jury." (Tri-Valley Herald, July 30, 2004) See [Costs](/costs-death-penalty?did=108&scid=7) and [Life Without Parole](/life-without-parole?did=555&scid=59).