California governor defends death penalty moratorium

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom insisted on Wednesday that he possessed the legal authority and moral responsibility to impose a moratorium on executions in California, rejecting the idea that he was defying the will of voters who refused to abolish capital punishment just two years ago.

"The law is the law, and this is crystal clear: The constitution of the state of California provides the governor the ability to reprieve, the ability to do this moratorium," Newsom said during a morning news conference at the Capitol. "I don't believe there is any ambiguity. My ultimate goal is to end the death penalty in California."

Moments before, Newsom had signed an executive order