California Court Asked To Reconsider Death Penalty Ruling

(AP) - Opponents of a voter-approved measure to speed up executions in California are asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling upholding the law.

In a court filing on Friday, attorneys for the opponents say the high court's decision unconstitutionally delegates power to the judicial branch.

Last month's highly anticipated ruling concerned Proposition 66, a push to "mend not end" capital punishment in California.

Condemned inmates in California currently languish for decades and are more likely to die of natural causes than from lethal injection.

The state Supreme Court upheld the mandate in Proposition 66 limiting successive appeals and filing extensions. But it rejected arguments that a provision setting a five-year limit on appeals was mandatory, raising doubts that the law will succeed in accelerating death sentences.