FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 25, 2025

Los Angeles Public Defender Denounces the District Attorney’s Decision to Revive the Death Penalty

The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office strongly denounces the District Attorney’s decision to reintroduce the death penalty in Los Angeles County, emphasizing that it reinforces an inhumane, racially biased, and fallible system that contradicts the principles of fairness and justice.

“This decision is a step backward for LA County. The death penalty is a cruel and irreversible punishment that is racially biased, and ineffective as a deterrent,” said Ricardo Garcia, the Los Angeles County Public Defender. “The death penalty doubles down on a system that has disproportionately harmed the poor and communities of color.”

Under this policy, the death penalty remains susceptible to historic systemic failures. Seeking capital punishment in even the ‘rarest’ of cases does nothing to erase the undeniable fact that the system is deeply flawed. The reality is that innocent people have been sentenced to die, and this decision risks adding more names to that tragic list. Even one time is too many to justify state-sanctioned, intentional killing. There is no preventative measure nor policy which can ever make the decision to seek death an acceptable one for a civilized society.

“Returning to the death penalty further exacerbates state and county economic challenges,” Garcia said. “The death penalty comes at a great cost to taxpayers with no impact to public safety. I urge DA Hochman to reconsider this decision and instead commit resources to programs proven to promote justice and reduce recidivism.”