SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Gov. Gavin Newsom is seeking to end a long-running federal lawsuit challenging California’s lethal injection process, arguing that it is no longer valid because of his moratorium on executions.
Death penalty opponents are challenging the state’s plan to use a single powerful barbiturate, instead of three drugs, to execute criminals.
Newsom’s administration said in a court filing Friday that there is no current need to debate the process because the Democratic governor halted executions in March for at least as long as he is governor.
Criminal Justice Legal Foundation legal director Kent Scheidegger, who supports the death penalty, agreed with Newsom that the case should be dismissed even though the law remains on the books despite the governor’s decision and could one day resume.
