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␈↓ ↓H␈↓α␈↓ βPTHE DEATH PENALTY AND THE CONSTITUTION

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_For␈α∂most␈α∂of␈α∂a␈α⊂century␈α∂after␈α∂the␈α∂adoption␈α∂of␈α⊂the␈α∂California␈α∂Constitution␈α∂and␈α⊂almost␈α∂two
␈↓ ↓H␈↓centuries␈α∞after␈α∂the␈α∞adoption␈α∞of␈α∂the␈α∞U.S.␈α∂ Constitution,␈α∞it␈α∞was␈α∂unquestioned␈α∞that␈α∂death␈α∞pdπqlties
␈↓ ↓H␈↓were␈αin␈αaccordance␈αwith␈αthe␈αconstitution.␈α The␈αopponents␈αof␈αthe␈αdeath␈αpenalty␈αplaced␈αtheir␈αhopes
␈↓ ↓H␈↓in␈α∞the␈α∞legislature␈α∞or␈α
in␈α∞referenda.␈α∞ The␈α∞expansion␈α
by␈α∞the␈α∞courts␈α∞of␈α
their␈α∞power␈α∞to␈α∞interpret␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓constitutions␈αof␈αthe␈αU.S.␈αand␈αthe␈αstates␈αto␈αthe␈αpoint␈αof␈αchanging␈αthem␈αis␈αvery␈αrecent.␈α We␈αbelieve
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the␈αparticular␈αdecisions␈αhave␈αdone␈αgood␈αin␈αa␈αfew␈αinstances␈αbut␈αhave␈αdone␈αconcrete␈αharm␈αin␈αmore
␈↓ ↓H␈↓cases␈αthan␈αthey␈αhave␈αdone␈αgood.␈α However,␈αeven␈αwhere␈αthe␈αdecisions␈αhave␈αhad␈αgood␈αlocal␈αeffects,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓as␈α∂in␈α⊂the␈α∂U.S.␈α⊂Supreme␈α∂Court's␈α⊂1954␈α∂decision␈α⊂against␈α∂segregated␈α⊂schools,␈α∂the␈α⊂effect␈α∂of␈α⊂a␈α∂court
␈↓ ↓H␈↓assuming the powers of the legislature have been bad.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_It␈α∞now␈α∞seems␈α∞likely␈α∞that␈α∞the␈α∞legislature␈α∞will␈α∞not␈α∞over-ride␈α∞Governor␈α∞Brown's␈α∞veto␈α∂of␈α∞new
␈↓ ↓H␈↓death␈α
penalty␈α
legislation,␈α
and␈α
there␈α
will␈α
be␈α
an␈α
initiative␈α
on␈α
the␈α
ballot␈α
to␈α
restore␈α
the␈αpenalty.␈α
 While
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the␈α∞immediate␈α
parties␈α∞to␈α
the␈α∞controversy␈α∞are␈α
the␈α∞Governor,␈α
the␈α∞Legislature,␈α
and␈α∞the␈α∞People,␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓California␈α↔Supreme␈α↔Court␈α↔is␈α_involved␈α↔too,␈α↔because␈α↔it␈α_struck␈α↔down␈α↔laws␈α↔that␈α_had␈α↔been
␈↓ ↓H␈↓unchallenged for most of a century.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_Therefore,␈α
we␈αpropose␈α
that␈αthe␈α
initiative␈α
that␈αrestores␈α
the␈αdeath␈α
penalty␈αalso␈α
strike␈α
a␈αblow
␈↓ ↓H␈↓against␈αjudicial␈αusurpation.␈α Instead␈αof␈αwriting␈αa␈αnew␈αdeath␈αpenalty␈αstatute,␈αthe␈α
initiative␈αshould,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓in␈α∩the␈α∩form␈α∩of␈α∩a␈α∩constitutional␈α∩amendment,␈α∩declare␈α∩the␈α∩old␈α∩death␈α∩penalty␈α∩law␈α⊃constitutional
␈↓ ↓H␈↓according␈α
to␈αthe␈α
California␈αConstitution.␈α
 The␈αidea␈α
is␈αthat␈α
the␈αPeople␈α
of␈αCalifornia,␈α
who␈αhave␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓right␈α
to␈α∞amend␈α
or␈α
rewrite␈α∞their␈α
constitution␈α
including␈α∞its␈α
judicial␈α
system,␈α∞can␈α
also␈α∞establish␈α
how
␈↓ ↓H␈↓their␈α∀constitution␈α∀is␈α∪to␈α∀be␈α∀interpreted.␈α∀ With␈α∪this␈α∀amendment,␈α∀they␈α∪decide␈α∀that␈α∀it␈α∀shall␈α∪be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓interpreted narrowly.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_The␈α⊃amendment␈α∩should␈α⊃further␈α∩specify␈α⊃that␈α∩it␈α⊃is␈α⊃the␈α∩duty␈α⊃of␈α∩state␈α⊃judges␈α∩to␈α⊃interpret
␈↓ ↓H␈↓California␈αlaws␈αgenerally␈αin␈αa␈αway␈αthat␈αis␈αin␈αaccordance␈αwith␈αthe␈αview␈αthat␈αthe␈αold␈αdeath␈αpenalty
␈↓ ↓H␈↓laws␈α∞were␈α∞constitutional.␈α∞ It␈α
should␈α∞be␈α∞further␈α∞specified␈α
that␈α∞it␈α∞is␈α∞the␈α
duty␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞Legislature␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓impeach judges that usurp the powers of the Legislature and the People in such manner.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_One␈α⊂effect␈α⊂of␈α⊂the␈α⊂Amendment␈α⊂will␈α⊂be␈α⊂to␈α⊂make␈α⊂many␈α⊂court␈α⊂decisions␈α⊂of␈α⊂recent␈α⊃years␈α⊂of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓uncertain␈α∂validity.␈α∂ In␈α⊂order␈α∂to␈α∂reduce␈α∂the␈α⊂disruption␈α∂this␈α∂may␈α∂cause,␈α⊂when␈α∂an␈α∂old␈α⊂decision␈α∂is
␈↓ ↓H␈↓challenged,␈αone␈αresponse␈αof␈αthe␈αSupreme␈αCourt␈αmay␈αbe␈αto␈αrefer␈αthe␈αold␈αdecision␈αto␈αthe␈αlegislature
␈↓ ↓H␈↓which␈α
can␈α
affirm␈α
it␈αor␈α
overthrow␈α
it␈α
by␈αmajority␈α
vote.␈α
 The␈α
Court␈αcan␈α
provide␈α
that␈α
the␈αdecision
␈↓ ↓H␈↓stands␈α∞until␈α∞the␈α∞legislature␈α∞decides.␈α∂ This␈α∞procedure,␈α∞which␈α∞abbreviates␈α∞the␈α∂normal␈α∞law-making
␈↓ ↓H␈↓process, should have a life of (say) ten years, and this should be provided for in the Amendment.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_It␈α
is␈α∞probably␈α
better␈α
if␈α∞the␈α
Amendment␈α
does␈α∞not␈α
put␈α
any␈α∞specific␈α
death␈α
penalties␈α∞into␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Constitution.␈α∂ In␈α∞so␈α∂far␈α∞as␈α∂it␈α∞writes␈α∂new␈α∞death␈α∂penalty␈α∞law,␈α∂e.g.,␈α∞in␈α∂order␈α∞to␈α∂conform␈α∂with␈α∞U.S.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Supreme Court usurpations, they should be ordinary laws, changeable by the Legislature.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_The␈α∂Amendment␈α∂should␈α∂be␈α∂brief␈α∂and␈α∂should␈α⊂not␈α∂try␈α∂to␈α∂tie␈α∂down␈α∂every␈α∂possible␈α⊂case␈α∂of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓judicial␈α
usurpation.␈α Its␈α
intent␈αshould␈α
be␈α
clear␈αfrom␈α
its␈αwording␈α
to␈α
the␈αaverage␈α
citizen␈αas␈α
well␈αas␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓judges,␈α∞lawyers␈α
and␈α∞legislators.␈α
 Its␈α∞backers␈α∞should␈α
portray␈α∞it␈α
as␈α∞a␈α
general␈α∞statement␈α∞intended␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓guide␈α∞the␈α∞judges␈α∞back␈α∞towards␈α∞interpreting␈α∞their␈α∞role␈α∞in␈α∞accordance␈α∞with␈α∞the␈α∞instructions␈α∞given
␈↓ ↓H␈↓through␈α
it␈α
by␈α
the␈α
People␈α
of␈α
California.␈α∞ However,␈α
it␈α
should␈α
be␈α
clear␈α
that␈α
if␈α
the␈α∞people␈α
perceive
␈↓ ↓H␈↓that␈α
the␈α∞judges␈α
are␈α
trying␈α∞to␈α
evade␈α∞its␈α
provisions,␈α
the␈α∞initiative␈α
process␈α
can␈α∞provide␈α
for␈α∞a␈α
more
␈↓ ↓H␈↓drastic modification of the judicial system including the wholesale replacement of judges.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ εH␈↓ 91


␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_If␈α∪the␈α∪Amendment␈α∪is␈α∪passed␈α∀or␈α∪generates␈α∪interesting␈α∪support␈α∪in␈α∪California,␈α∀the␈α∪more
␈↓ ↓H␈↓difficult␈α∂task␈α∂of␈α∂amending␈α∂the␈α∂U.S.␈α∂Constitution␈α∞to␈α∂make␈α∂the␈α∂Supreme␈α∂Court␈α∂interpret␈α∂it␈α∞more
␈↓ ↓H␈↓narrowly can be undertaken.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ εH␈↓ 92


␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_Here␈αis␈αa␈αdraft␈α
of␈αthe␈αproposed␈αamendment.␈α
 Constitutional␈αlawyers␈αcan␈αundoubtedly␈α
do␈αit
␈↓ ↓H␈↓better, but it should be kept short and understandable to the layman.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_The␈α∃People␈α∃of␈α∃California␈α∃hereby␈α∃affirm␈α∃that␈α∃the␈α∃laws␈α∃(INSERT␈α⊗HERE␈α∃SPECIFIC
␈↓ ↓H␈↓REFERENCES)␈αgoverning␈α
the␈αimposition␈αof␈α
the␈αdeath␈α
penalty␈αare␈αin␈α
accordance␈αwith␈αthe␈α
powers
␈↓ ↓H␈↓granted␈α∞by␈α∞the␈α∂People␈α∞to␈α∞the␈α∂Legislature␈α∞in␈α∞the␈α∂California␈α∞Constitution.␈α∞ California␈α∂Courts␈α∞are
␈↓ ↓H␈↓hereby␈α∩instructed␈α∩to␈α∩interpret␈α⊃the␈α∩California␈α∩Constitution␈α∩more␈α⊃strictly␈α∩than␈α∩has␈α∩been␈α⊃recent
␈↓ ↓H␈↓practice.␈α∀ In␈α∪particular,␈α∀California␈α∪Courts␈α∀shall␈α∪interpret␈α∀the␈α∪powers␈α∀granted␈α∀the␈α∪California
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Legislature␈α∃and␈α∃other␈α∀elected␈α∃bodies␈α∃and␈α∀officials␈α∃in␈α∃a␈α∀manner␈α∃consistent␈α∃with␈α∃the␈α∀above
␈↓ ↓H␈↓affirmation of the constitutionality of the death penalty.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ α_Recognizing␈αthat␈αthis␈α
Amendment␈αputs␈αin␈α
doubt␈αmany␈αrecent␈α
California␈αcourt␈αdecisions,␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓People provide as follows:

␈↓ ↓H␈↓1.␈α
If␈α
the␈α
California␈α
Supreme␈α
Court␈α
takes␈α
a␈α
case␈α
in␈α
which␈α
a␈α
Petitioner␈α
claims␈α
that␈α
a␈α
previous␈α
Court
␈↓ ↓H␈↓decision␈α∪made␈α∪after␈α∪January␈α∪1,␈α∪1960␈α∪is␈α∪in␈α∪error␈α∪because␈α∪it␈α∪is␈α∪not␈α∪in␈α∪accordance␈α∀with␈α∪this
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Amendment,␈α⊃the␈α⊃Court␈α⊂has␈α⊃the␈α⊃following␈α⊃options:␈α⊂(i)␈α⊃It␈α⊃may␈α⊃decide␈α⊂that␈α⊃the␈α⊃decision␈α⊃was␈α⊂in
␈↓ ↓H␈↓accordance␈α∩with␈α∩the␈α∩Amendment␈α∩and␈α∩stands.␈α∩(ii)␈α⊃It␈α∩may␈α∩decide␈α∩that␈α∩the␈α∩decision␈α∩should␈α⊃be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓reversed.␈α∂ (iii)␈α∂It␈α∂may␈α∂decide␈α∂that␈α∂the␈α∂previous␈α∂decision␈α∂was␈α∂of␈α∂a␈α∂matter␈α∂that␈α⊂this␈α∂Amendment
␈↓ ↓H␈↓affirms␈α⊂is␈α⊂prerogative␈α⊂of␈α⊂the␈α⊂Legislature.␈α⊂ In␈α⊂this␈α⊂case,␈α⊂it␈α⊂may␈α⊂submit␈α⊂the␈α⊂specific␈α⊂case␈α⊃to␈α⊂the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Legislature␈αfor␈αdecision,␈αawarding␈α
such␈αtemporary␈αrelief␈αas␈α
the␈αCourt␈αconsiders␈αappropriate.␈α
 This
␈↓ ↓H␈↓provision␈α∞for␈α∞referring␈α∞cases␈α∞to␈α∞the␈α∂legislature␈α∞expires␈α∞ten␈α∞years␈α∞after␈α∞this␈α∂Amendment␈α∞becomes
␈↓ ↓H␈↓law.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓2.␈α
On␈α
petition␈α
of␈α
a␈α∞majority␈α
of␈α
members␈α
of␈α
either␈α
house,␈α∞the␈α
legislature␈α
will␈α
vote␈α
on␈α∞whether␈α
it
␈↓ ↓H␈↓decides␈α⊃to␈α⊃consider␈α⊃the␈α⊃case.␈α⊃ A␈α⊃majority␈α⊃of␈α⊃both␈α⊃houses␈α⊃are␈α⊃required␈α⊃to␈α⊃consider␈α⊃it.␈α⊃ If␈α⊃the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓legislature␈α∞decides␈α∞to␈α∞consider␈α∞the␈α∞case,␈α∞a␈α∞majority␈α∞of␈α∞both␈α∞houses␈α∞is␈α∞required␈α∞to␈α∂overthrow␈α∞the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓original␈α
Court␈αdecision.␈α
 If␈αthe␈α
Legislature␈αdoes␈α
not␈α
act␈αwithin␈α
six␈αmonths␈α
of␈αthe␈α
Court␈αdecision␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓refer␈αthe␈αmatter␈αto␈αthe␈αLegislature,␈αor␈αif␈αthe␈αLegislature␈αdecides␈αnot␈αto␈αconsider␈αthe␈αissue,␈αor␈αif␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Legislature␈α
fails␈α
to␈α
overthrow␈α
the␈α
decision,␈α∞the␈α
original␈α
court␈α
decision␈α
stands.␈α
 If␈α∞the␈α
Legislature
␈↓ ↓H␈↓overthrows␈α∪the␈α∩decision,␈α∪the␈α∩Court␈α∪must␈α∩dispose␈α∪of␈α∪the␈α∩issue␈α∪in␈α∩a␈α∪manner␈α∩it␈α∪decides␈α∪is␈α∩in
␈↓ ↓H␈↓accordance with the decision of the legislature.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓3.␈αAn␈αordinary␈αlegislative␈αAct␈α
may␈αdeclare␈αthat␈αit,␈αamong␈α
other␈αmatters,␈αdecides␈αa␈αcase␈αreferred␈α
by
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the␈αSupreme␈αCourt.␈α If␈αthe␈αAct␈αbecomes␈αlaw,␈α
then␈αthe␈αCourt␈αshall␈αdecide␈αthe␈αcase␈αin␈αview␈α
of␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Act.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓4.␈αIt␈αis␈αthe␈αduty␈αof␈αthe␈αLegislature␈αto␈αimpeach␈αjudges␈αthat␈αit␈αfinds␈αconsistently␈αor␈αflagrantly␈αusurp
␈↓ ↓H␈↓powers belonging to the Legislature or other elected officials or bodies.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ εH␈↓ 93


␈↓ ↓H␈↓John McCarthy
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Computer Science Department
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Stanford University
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Stanford, California 94305

␈↓ ↓H␈↓ARPANET: MCCARTHY@SU-AI

␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓εThis draft of DEATH[E77,JMC] PUBbed at 14:48 on July 18, 1977.␈↓