A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled California's death penalty unconstitutional.
The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney follows a similar ruling in Northern California that has kept the death penalty on hold in California for years.
Ruling in the case of a prisoner who was condemned in 1995, Carney wrote that inordinate and unpredictable delays have resulted in a death penalty system in which arbitrary factors determine whether an individual will actually be executed.
Carney vacated the death sentence of Ernest Dewayne Jones.
Steve Walker, spokesman for San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, released this statement in reaction:
“We are reviewing today’s decision. The District Attorney’s Office consistently reserves the death penalty for the worst of the worst violent offenders and that decision is made only after a comprehensive and thoughtful process. A death sentence is given to fewer than two percent of convicted murderers in California. We will continue to follow whatever the state law is regarding the death penalty.”
But Justin Brooks, of the California Western School of Law's Innocence Project, called the judge's ruling a great decision.
"I've always believed, as many people have believed, that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment," Brooks said. "The randomness of executions in California really shows how the system is completely broken. It's really a failed 40-year experiment."
Death Row Inmates Sentenced In San Diego
There are 748 inmates currently on death row in California, 40 were sentenced in San Diego County.
Eric Anderson, on death row since 2005
Hector Ayala, on death row since 1989
Ronaldo Ayala, on death row since 1989
Steven Bell, on death row since 1994
Terry Bemore, on death row since 1989
Christopher Box, on death row since 1991
Manuel Bracamontes, on death row since 2005
Adrian Camacho, on death row since 2006
David Carpenter, on death row since 1984
Dean Carter, on death row since 1990
Tecumseh Colbert, on death row since 2008
Kevin Cooper, on death row since 1985
Kerry Dalton, on death row since 1995
Scott Erskine, on death row since 2004
Susan Eubanks, on death row since 1999
Michael Flinner, on death row since 2004
Johnaton George, on death row since 1995
Ivan Gonzales, on death row since 1998
Veronica Gonzales, on death row since 1998
Bernard Hamilton, on death row since 1981
Jaime Hoyos, on death row since 1994
Bryan Jones, on death row since 1994
Robert Jurado, on death row since 1994
David Lucas, on death row since 1989
Kurt Michaels, on death row since 1990
Calvin Parker, on death row since 2003
Cleophus Prince, on death row since 1993
Jean Rices, on death row since 2009
Ramon Rogers, on death row since 1997
Rudolph Roybal, on death row since 1992
Richard Samayoa, on death row since 1988
Brandon Taylor, on death row since 1997
Correll Thomas, on death row since 1999
Derlyn Threats, on death row since 2010
Billy Waldon, on death row since 1992
Randall Wall, on death row since 1995
Latwon Weaver, on death row since 1993
David Westerfield, on death row since 2003
George Williams, on death row since 2005
Jeffrey Young, on death row since 2006
Source: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
