The decision, which followed lengthy hearings that included testimony from Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, was criticized by law enforcement leaders, who said Dekraai deserves to be executed. “The criminal justice system here in Orange County has largely failed you,” Goethals said to the victims’ relatives, many of whom were in court Friday. “The gates of hell flew open and you emerged as the face of evil,” Goethals said to Dekraai while handing down the sentence. Dekraai’s attorney, Orange County Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders, has contended that jailhouse informants and their handlers violated the rights of inmates for years by coaxing information from defendants who are represented by lawyers. The district attorney’s office and Sheriff’s Department denied running a coordinated informant operation.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 22, 2017 15:22 UTC