Atlanta attorney and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers President Drew Findling applauded California Gov. Gavin Newsom's moratorium on the death penalty Wednesday.

“Today's action by California Governor Gavin Newsom is yet another welcome and significant step in the march toward nationwide abolition of the death penalty,” Findling said in a news release from NACDL.

“Time and again, the death penalty, as much of America's criminal justice system, has been demonstrated to be racist, discriminatory, ineffective, expensive, and a stain on this nation,” Findling said.