Daughter of slain PSPD officer reacts to death penalty moratorium
The Governor’s announcement on halting the death penalty will have an effect on cases here locally, including the one against John Felix, the man accused of killing Palm Springs Police officers Jose “Gil” Vega and Lesley Zerebny.
“Why did we got through this if there’s going to be no end resolution to everything,” Gloria Vega, the daughter of Officer Vega, said.
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Frustrations are being expressed by her, after hearing of Governor Newsom’s moratorium on the death penalty. It’s comes in the middle of the criminal case against Felix.
“There’s going to be no end to it. We’re going to sit here and he’s just going to sit in prison either way for the rest of his life, and….for what?” Vega said.
She has waited for more than two years for the Felix case to go to trial as prosecutors pursue the death penalty. It’s a result she wants to see as a message backing first responders and feels the governor is overreaching with his power, especially after voters rejected a repeal, Prop 62, three years ago.
“He was voted in by his people. He says he wants to speak for his people. This is not speaking for them,” Vega said.
She says support for the death penalty is not unanimous within the whole family with some opposing on moral grounds.
“They believe in not taking another life. They believe in…and it makes sense, if he were to be put to death, it doesn’t bring back our dad,” Vega said.
With the courts still litigating on the issue of the death penalty, Vega says she would accept it’s decision, even if it wasn’t in their favor.
“I would definitely not support it in that situation. I would not be okay with it, but obviously I would have to,” she said.
