Judge Upholds Death Sentence for 1988 Sunnyvale Mass Shooter Richard Farley

A Santa Clara County judge denies the district attorney's petition to reduce Farley's sentence to life without parole, maintaining the death penalty for the convicted mass murderer.

Richard Farley, convicted of killing seven people and injuring four in a 1988 mass shooting at ESL Inc. in Sunnyvale, will remain on death row after a judge's ruling on March 21, 2025.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen had petitioned to reclassify Farley's death sentence to life without parole, citing his office's opposition to the death penalty.
Victims' families and survivors strongly opposed the resentencing effort, arguing it would deny justice for the victims and undermine the original jury's decision.
The judge's decision follows emotional victim impact statements recounting the trauma of the shooting and its lasting effects on survivors and families.
California's moratorium on executions, enacted in 2019, remains in place, but death sentences are still legally valid and could be reinstated under future administrations.