Between 1978 and 2011, 15 men in Santa Clara County received death sentences for murders with special circumstances, including Richard Farley. In 2024, District Attorney Jeff Rosen sought to reduce their sentences to life without parole, attributing his decision to concerns of bias and fairness. However, a reviewing judge dismissed his motions due to a lack of legal basis. Farley's case became notable when attorney James McManis successfully argued against Rosen's motion, keeping Farley's death sentence intact. Despite the outcome, Rosen did not appeal the ruling, allowing the time frame to expire.
Between 1978 and 2011, 15 men in Santa Clara County were sentenced to death for murders involving special circumstances. Richard Farley was among them, killing seven in 1988.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen, in 2024, decided to pursue reducing the death sentences to life without possibility of parole, citing concerns like implicit bias and structural racism.
Despite over half of those sentenced being White, Rosen argued his change was driven by fairness and justice, but his motions were largely rebuffed by the reviewing judge.
The judge noted Rosen's motions ignored legal criteria and the new statute does not apply to death sentences. In a surprising turn, Farley's case saw a legal defense for victims' families.
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