Which Way, L.A.?
LA District Attorney Wants to Dust Off the Death Penalty
In November, California voters will be asked to ban the death penalty. LA DA Steve Cooley wants to make sure the state’s ready to resume executions now. What's the hurry?
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenWith no executions in California since 2006, the population of death row is now 725. State and federal courts are hearing arguments about how many drugs are needed for lethal injections that don't amount to cruel and unusual punishment. In November's election, voters will be asked to ban the death penalty. If they don't, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley wants to make sure the state's ready to resume executions. We ask him, what's the hurry? Why not wait for the courts and the voters? Also, will streaming of the Olympic Games cause Los Angeles City computers to melt down? On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, NBC's delayed Olympic broadcasts in the age of Social Media.
Banner image: Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley (C) wants to make sure that California is ready to resume executions. Photo by NoHo Damon/flickr
In this episode
3 storiesCan LA's District Attorney Dust Off the Death Penalty?
LA District Attorney Steve Cooley is more than impatient about the death penalty in California. The population of death row is 725, and there's been no execution since 2006. Voters will be asked to repeal capital punishment in November, but Cooley wants executions right now.
Read the story22 minCity Workers Glued to the Olympics
Los Angeles City computers experienced a 20 percent spike in Internet traffic yesterday, coming from the NBC4 Internet site that's streaming the London Olympics . Randi Levin, the head of Information Technology, sent city employees a brief email "respectfully" requesting that they "discontinue" watching the games.
Read the story4 minCompetition: In the Olympic Games and in the Media
As world-class athletes go for the gold , NBC television goes for the audience. But those formerly passive viewers now have a voice, and it's a loud one. On Twitter and Facebook, on blog after blog, NBC has been excoriated since the opening ceremonies: for commentary, dramatizations and especially tape delays.
Read the story25 min
