In a decision that won't necessarily score her political points, SF District Attorney Kamala Harris's office yesterday declined to seek the death penalty for Edwin Ramos. Ramos is accused of murdering Tony Bologna and his two sons last year.
Friday in court, prosecutor Harry Dorfman made this surprise announcement.
The District Attorney has decided to seek the special circumstances penalty of life without parole; we will not seek the death penalty in this case," he said.
Since Ramos was charged with multiple murders and two other special circumstance offenses, Harris could have asked for the death penalty. But Harris is an opponent of capital punishment and she told reporters her decision fits the crime.
"We have thoroughly reviewed the facts and laws in this case and arrived at a decision based on that review," Harris said. (KGO 9/10/09)
Harris is opposed to the death penalty. She has said in the past that she would consider each case on its own merits, but certainly her own morality must come into play.
This is a position of personal integrity. She is sticking to what she said when she defeated Terrence Hallinan way back in 2003. While the death penalty may have support in California as a whole, that is not the case in San Francisco. Surely, there will be ads, or whisper campaigns, or whatever, made about this during a campaign for Attorney General.
But you can say one thing about Kamala Harris, she has a spine. And in this race, that gives her a leg up in my book. |
