Court To Hear Challenge To Speed Up California Executions
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The California Supreme Court is set to hear arguments over whether to block a voter-approved measure to speed up executions.
The court is hearing a case Tuesday in Los Angeles brought by death penalty foes after voters approved Proposition 66 in November.
Capital punishment opponents say the so-called reforms would disrupt courts, cost more money and undermine appeals.
Supporters of the measure have called the case a frivolous stall tactic that would maintain a dysfunctional system that hasn't executed an inmate in more than a decade.
The ballot initiative would appoint more appellate lawyers, assign some cases to trial judges and set a five-year deadline to complete state appeals.
The ballot measure passed with 51 percent support. A competing measure to repeal capital punishment lost by a slightly wider margin.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.