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>> PEOPLE INTEND TO SEEK THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. EMILY: JOSEPH DEANGELO STOOD SILENTLY IN THE FRONT OF THE COURTROOM. >> WE ARE THRILLED WITH THE DECISION TO SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY. EMILY: RON HARRINGTON SAYS HIS YOUNGEST BROTHER WAS MURDERED BY THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER IN 1980. >> THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER IS THE WORST OF THE WORST OF THE WORST THAT EVER HAPPENED. EMILY: DEANGELO FACES DOZENS OF CHARGES, INCLUDING 13 COUNTS OF MURDER WITH SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. DISTRICT ATTORNEYS FROM FOUR OF THE SIX COUNTIES WHERE THOSE CRIMES WERE COMMITTED, INCLUDING SACRAMENTO COUNTY, WILL SEEK THE DEATH PENALTY, DESPITE GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM’S MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS. >> WE TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE MORATORIUM. EMILY: LAST MONTH, NEWSOM PUT A HALT ON THE DEATH PENALTY, EVEN AFTER CALIFORNIANS VOTED TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS. IN A STATEMENT, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE SAYS THE DA'S SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DEANGELO, QUOTE, CAN PURSUE THIS ACTION AS IS THEIR RIGHT UNDER THE LAW. >> HE HAS NOW DECIDED TO TAKE HIS OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS AND PUT THOSE IN FRONT OF THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. EMILY: IN THE PAST, SACRAMENTO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANN MARIE SCHUBERT SAID THE GOVERNOR DOESN’T HAVE THE POWER TO PREVENT DA'S FROM ASKING FOR THE DEATH PENALTY. BUT SOME LAW EXPERTS SAY IT’S UNLIKELY SOMEONE WILL BE EXECUTED AS LONG AS NEWSOM REMAINS IN OFFICE, REGARDLESS OF THE CRIME. >> THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY. THE DEATH PENALTY DOES SERVE

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The man accused of being the East Area Rapist and the Golden State Killer appeared in court Wednesday. Joseph DeAngelo, 73, is charged with 13 counts of murder, with many additional special circumstances, as well as 13 counts of kidnapping for robbery in six counties, officials said. Prosecutors from several California counties appeared in court and said that if DeAngelo is convicted, they will seek the death penalty. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in March halting executions in California. Analysts say the moratorium can last during Newsom's governorship until the next governor decides whether or not to remove it.| RELATED | 3 takeaways from Gov. Newsom's moratorium on the death penaltySacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, one of the prosecutors seeking the death penalty for DeAngelo, said Newsom's decision does not remove her power to seek execution.“This morning, the District Attorneys of Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Ventura County, Contra Costa, and Tulare met to review the aggravating and mitigating circumstances in the Joseph DeAngelo case pursuant to the death review protocol of Sacramento County. Thereafter, the four jurisdictions with special circumstance allegations -- Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Orange, and Ventura -- unanimously concluded to seek the death penalty in this case. There will be no further comment,” Schubert said in a prepared statement. DeAngelo's attorney, public defender Diane Howard, criticized seeking the death penalty against a 73-year-old man, saying in an email that the decision "does not further justice and is wasteful."With a multicounty prosecution team including more than 30 people, Howard cited a Sacramento County estimate that the prosecution will cost taxpayers more than $20 million.The crimes happened in Sacramento, Contra Costa, Orange, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura counties between 1975 and 1986, investigators said.DeAngelo's charges were announced in Orange County in August. District attorneys from several California counties, including Sacramento County, announced last year that the case will be tried in Sacramento. DeAngelo has yet to enter a plea and his trial is likely years away."On behalf of at least some of the victims of the Golden State Killer, we are thrilled with the decision to seek the death penalty," said Ron Harrington, whose brother and sister-in-law were victims of the Golden State Killer. Newlyweds Keith and Patty Harrington were killed in 1980. Ron Harrington said their bodies were found by his father.“The Golden State Killer is the worst of the worst of the worst that ever happened,” Harrington said.Harrington said he and his family disagree with the governor’s moratorium. Criminal Justice Legal Foundation legal director Kent Scheidegger said prosecutors' decision made sense despite Newsom's moratorium."It's a perfect example of a killer for whom anything less would not be justice," said Scheidegger, who is fighting in court to resume executions. "I think it's entirely appropriate for DAs to continue seeking the death penalty in appropriate cases, because the actual execution will be well down the road and the governor's reprieve won't be in effect by then. Something else will have happened."California has not executed anyone since 2006, but Newsom said he acted last month because 25 inmates have exhausted their appeals and court challenges to the state's new lethal injection process are potentially nearing their end. He endorsed a repeal of capital punishment but said he could not in good conscious allow executions to resume in the meantime knowing that some innocent inmates could die.He also said he is exploring ways to commute death sentences, which would permanently end the chance of executions, though he cannot act without permission from the state Supreme Court in many cases."The death penalty does serve as a deterrent," Harrington said. "Unfortunately, now our governor has decided to interpose his own personal opinion regarding the death penalty."DeAngelo is expected back in court on Aug. 22. ---The Associated Press contributed this story