In the light of Gov. Gavin Newsom's order to halt the death penalty in California.

We, the voters of Santa Clara County, request that you honor Gov. Newsom's moratorium on the death penalty.  We specifically request that you immediately pledge that your office will no longer seek the death penalty in any criminal case brought in Santa Clara County.

The threat of the death penalty does not deter criminals nor assuage the suffering of the victim’s families.

There is no moral, ethical, economic or pragmatic justification for the death penalty, and there is absolutely no justification for the millions of extra dollars it costs the county to try a death penalty case.

We ask that you join with Gov. Newsom and the other leaders in our state and country who have recognized the lack of justification for, and indeed the significant damage to our society as a result of, the existence of this useless, violent and expensive option in our criminal justice system, and end it in Santa Clara County.