Bill for Wider Death Penalty Fails Again : Assembly: Public safety panel blocks Wilson-backed measure calling for capital punishment in drive-by and carjacking murders.

For the second time this year, the Assembly Public Safety Committee rejected a bill backed by Gov. Pete Wilson to extend the death penalty to people convicted of murders committed during drive-by shootings and carjackings.

The legislation by Sen. Robert Presley (D-Riverside) needed four votes to clear committee but received only three on Tuesday, with four votes against.

A representative of the American Civil Liberties Union testified that it is opposed to the extension of capital punishment.

Three committee members who voted against the measure are foes of the death penalty.

The committee earlier this year killed the same bill by the same 4-3 vote.

Wilson said after the committee action that those who voted no “care more about protecting criminals than they do about victims” and said they “needed to be held accountable” for rejecting the bill.

The governor had urged the Democrat-dominated committee to approve Presley’s bill at a rally Monday on the state Capitol steps that was attended by about 1,500 people.

Wilson, who is running for reelection in November, said he wanted dozens of get-tough-on-crime bills approved before the Legislature adjourns at the end of this month.

The committee postponed a vote on another bill backed by Wilson to impose 25-year-to-life sentences for first-time child molesters and violent rapists.

The so-called “one strike” measure is sponsored by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), who agreed to negotiate on amendments, making it possible that some version of the legislation would survive.

The bill calls for a 25-year-to-life sentence for convicted child molesters and rapists when the forcible sex offense is associated with such crimes as burglary and kidnaping. Current state law provides for prison sentences ranging from three, six or eight years to life imprisonment for child molesters and rapists.