Former San Quentin warden pushes anti-death penalty initiative

San Quentin's brand new
execution chamber and gurney

During a 26-year career at San Quentin, including five years as warden, Jeanne Woodford says she was morally opposed to the capital punishment the entire time. But she carried out the law, and oversaw four executions herself.

Now Woodford is pushing a state ballot initiative that would scuttle the death penalty, replacing it with life without the possibility of parole.

"I've killed four people for the state of California, and it didn't make anything better for anyone," said Woodford, who is now the executive director of San Francisco-based Death Penalty Focus.

The Safe California Act, in addition to instituting life-without-parole as the maximum penalty, would require murderers to work to pay victim restitution, and set aside $100 million to help solve murder and rape cases.

Woodford, in a wonkish one-hour talk, said that regardless of one's moral position on capital punishment, the evidence shows it to be an utter failure of public policy. Since California resumed executions in the 1970s, the state has spent $4 billion to execute just 13 prisoners, according to Woodford.

She said life-without-parole is less expensive than capital punishment; more punishing to killers; offers clear legal closure for victims' families; does not subject prison employees to the emotional trauma of executions; and can be ended if a convict if exonerated later.

Woodford noted that New York State, which has no death penalty, has seen a major drop in crime rates by investing heavily in law enforcement, drug treatment and rehabilitation programs.

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Source: Marin Independent Journal, December 6, 2011

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