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Families Of Murder Victims Furious At Governor's Decision To Halt Death Penalty

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Murder victims' families are furious with the governor's decision to halt the death penalty. Two sat down with District Attorney Ann Marie Schubert Wednesday afternoon, saying they are going to try to fight this any way they can with the help of advocates and law enforcement leaders.

"Appalling, disgraceful," that's how Schubert described Governor Newsom's decision to halt the death penalty in California. Schubert met with two women whose sons were murdered.

"This is really hard. I don't understand why he would do that," Sandy Friend said as she wiped back tears.

Friend says she felt blindsided by the news. Her 8-year-old son Michael was kidnapped, tortured for ten hours and murdered in 1996.

"We are the loved ones. We survived this and he should have taken into consideration how we feel," Friend said.

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She says Governor Newsom should have looked into every case individually. Phyllis Loya agreed.

"I feel he is spitting on my son's grave," said Loya.

Loya's son, a police officer, was murdered in 2005.

"He knew he was going to do this. He lied when he was elected. He said he would carry out the will of the people. This isn't the will of the people the majority of voters voted for prop 66 to stop decades of delay," Loya said

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Schubert says she will continue to see the death penalty in cases where warranted.

"Now with the stroke of a pen the will of the people have been taken away...It's the law and whether or not I like the law I follow it. I wish the governor had done the same," Schubert said.

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