Recently, a California man pled guilty to the 2006 murder of Highway Patrolman Earl Scott. The defendant, Columbus Allen Jr., whose pre-trial proceedings took more than four years, will now spend the rest of his life in prison, having waived his appeals. The Stanislaus County district attorney originally sought the death penalty against Allen, but there were no guarantees that verdict would have been reached. Additionally, when the death penalty is imposed in California, years of appeals often follow, and it is not unusual for convicted murderers to outlive the family members of the murder victims. An editorial in the Modesto Bee noted that the plea will save the county over $1 million in additional expenses that would have been spent in a capital trial. Moreover, the paper noted, the emphasis can now be put on the victim, rather than on the pepetrator: "In recent years, it has seemed that Earl Scott was the forgotten victim and all the attention was on Allen, who went through multiple defense attorneys. Every time the trial was about to proceed, there would be another motion causing a delay. It was frustrating, even for those who value the process over a rush to justice. . . .[Now] Earl Scott . . . will be remembered - by his family and friends, of course, but also by his colleagues in law enforcement and by our community." Read full editorial below.
On September 2, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (pictured) granted clemency to Kevin Keith, commuting his death sentence to life without parole. Keith, who was convicted of killing three people, has always maintained his innocence, and some evidence pointed to another suspect. Gov. Strickland’s commutation statement addressed his concerns regarding Keith’s case: “Mr. Keith’s conviction relied upon the linking of certain eyewitness testimony with certain forensic evidence about which important questions have been raised. I also find the absence of a full investigation of other credible suspects troubling.” The governor acknowledged that Keith might well be guilty and that the Ohio Parole Board had recommended against clemency, but he could not allow an execution with the doubts that persisted. The governor left open the possibility that future developments might require additional relief for Mr. Keith. Attorneys for Keith applauded Gov. Strickland’s actions, but said they will continue to petition for a new trial to address newly discovered evidence, evidence withheld by the State, and new science behind eyewitness identification, all of which, they claim, point to Mr. Keith's innocence. 
A recent poll conducted in California showed that support for life without parole for first-degree murder has increased among registered voters since 2000. When asked which sentence they preferred for a first-degree murderer, 42% of registered voters said they preferred life without parole and 41% said they preferred the death penalty. In 2000, when voters were asked the same question, 37% chose life without parole while 44% chose the death penalty. Some commentators say that the increased support for life without parole and decreased support for the death penalty is very telling. Stefanie Faucher, associate director of Death Penalty Focus, said "I think they reflect a growing preference for life without parole as an alternative. It is more cost-effective, is carried out more quickly and doesn't drag victims through years of appeals." The Field Poll revealed that 70% of California’s registered voters support the death penalty, but Faucher says that figure represents support for the death penalty “in the abstract” and is less revealing than people’s views on what punishment they prefer.