Attorney general debate: Death penalty versus the environment

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The candidates for California attorney general clashed in Tuesday’s debate, perhaps their only one before the Nov. 2 election.

The debate between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Steve Cooley began with Cooley focusing on the death penalty in his opening statement.

‘My opponent absolutely ideologically opposes the death penalty. [She] refused to pursue the death penalty against the killer ... who shot down Officer Isaac Espinoza.’

Cooley pointed out Espinoza’s widow, sister and the mother of the slain officer in the audience.

Harris said California’s criminal justice was ‘broken and it needs to be fixed.’ In her opening remarks, she focused on the environment and her opposition to Proposition 23, which would suspend the state’s greenhouse-gas law. She talked as well about fighting identity theft and the recidivism of California inmates.

The debate is moderated by KCRA’s Kevin Riggs.

Live coverage of the entire debate is available here.

-- Anthony York in Davis, Calif.