Becerra Shifts on Death Penalty | US News

Xavier Becerra pivots from death penalty defender to abolitionist, pledging to extend Newsom’s execution moratorium if elected — a sharp 180 from his AG days when he pursued capital punishment for killers like Scott Dekraai and Robert Lewis Jr., both cases later marred by controversy. Now calling the system costly and racially biased, Becerra frames it as fundamentally flawed. His opponent Steve Hilton, while personally opposed to the death penalty, argues governors shouldn’t override voter will — a stance backed by two state referendums rejecting abolition. With California’s execution chamber dismantled and no approved protocols in place, even lifting the pause wouldn’t mean immediate executions — making the debate more symbolic than practical. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a5bc898b8d290e0d