Case # 12ZF0128
Date: November 22, 2016
STATEMENT
SANTA ANA, Calif. – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) has released the following statement:
“It will be up to the California Attorney General to decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty for Scott Dekraai, to take this case to a jury to decide whether or not the defendant will get the death penalty, or to appeal the decision. The OCDA will support her decision.
The defendant stands convicted of eight murders with special circumstances and one attempted murder. If he does not receive the death penalty then he will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Our hearts, of course, first go to the victims and their families in this case, and we feel tremendous pain for their loss. Many of them know that we truly care about them and that we worked tirelessly and vigorously to seek justice in this case. The OCDA worked hard along with the Seal Beach Police Department and many first responders to make sure this defendant was convicted. As a result of hard work by local law enforcement, Dekraai will never see freedom outside of prison. No matter who handles this case, the OCDA believes that these murders were callous, cruel, and committed with a malignant heart. The defendant deserves the ultimate punishment of death.”