Three month ago, the Supreme Court asked for supplemental briefing in Office of the State Public Defender v. Bonta, the original writ petition filed in April attacking California’s death penalty system as racially discriminatory. The order came after the court had conferenced for a fourth time about the case.
After the court granted an unopposed request for a three-week extension, the parties filed their initial supplemental briefs. Links to those briefs are here.
This week, the parties filed their final supplemental briefs. Earlier this month, the court filed eight amicus curiae briefs. Here are all those briefs:
- Petitioners’ Reply Brief
- Attorney General’s Reply Brief
- Santa Clara County District Attorney Amicus Brief
- San Bernardino County District Attorney Amicus Brief
- Constitutional Law Scholars Amicus Brief
- California Constitution Scholars Amicus Letter
- Criminal Justice Legal Foundation Amicus Brief
- Prosecutors Alliance of California Amicus Brief
- State Law Research Initiative & University of San Francisco School of Law Racial Justice Clinic Amicus Brief
- John Haggerty Amicus Brief
These are just preliminary briefs. If the court issues an order to show cause (whether returnable in the Supreme Court or a lower court), there will likely be a new round of briefing. (See rule 8.487(a), (b), & (e).).
Realted:
Heavyweight writ petition asks Supreme Court to declare death penalty unconstitutional
“California’s death penalty law deserves a vigorous defense”
AG asks for evidentiary hearing on anti-death penalty petition; 2 DAs want the petition denied
LA Times: “Of course the death penalty is racist. And it would be wrong even if it weren’t”
Two former justices urge Supreme Court to review anti-death penalty writ petition
