State legislators discuss death penalty proposition

SACRAMENTO (KGO) -- One of the most important measures on the November ballot would abolish California's death penalty. The pros and cons of Proposition 34 were debated Wednesday in Sacramento.

Oakland State Senator Loni Hancock and San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano hosted a discussion between two panels of experts, one for repeal, the other against.

It boiled down to an argument over which alternative will cost taxpayers the least.

"The taxpayers of this state would then be required to fund housing and medical care for these absolute worst of the worst murderers into their 60s into 70s into their 80s," former U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said.

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner added, "The money saved, by doing the life without parole can be re-directed into our law enforcement."

There hasn't been an execution in California since 2006.

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elections, economy, california budget crisis, sacramento, ballot measure, death penalty, politics

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