Nevada City, Calif. November 14, 2018 – Cliff Newell, Nevada County District Attorney, announced today that his office has decided not to seek the death penalty against Sean Bryant or Michael McCauley for the April 2018 killing of Stan Norman.
“This was a close call” said Newell. “The allegation of torture done to the victim in this case warranted serious consideration of the death penalty”.
A significant factor in the decision not to seek the death penalty was the victim’s family desire to forgo a prolonged death penalty prosecution and bring closure in this horrible chapter of their lives.
The reality in California is that it is very unlikely a death sentence would ever be carried out. There are 747 inmates currently on death row with the last execution in January of 2006.
Were the District Attorney’s Office to seek the death penalty it would have significantly prolonged the criminal justice process. Both defendants remain charged with special circumstances murder which make them eligible for life without possibility of parole.
The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office is absolutely committed to seeking justice for Stan Norman and his family in holding these defendants accountable for their actions.