PHOTOS: Work Crew Dismantles San Quentin's Death Chamber
SAN QUENTIN (CBS SF) -- It was a simple sentence posted on the door to San Quentin Prison's death chamber, but its impact sparked a debate across California and the nation.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a moratorium Wednesday, putting an end to executions within the state. Hours later, a sign was posted on the heavy metal door to the death chamber -- "Gas Chamber CLOSED per Executive Order 11-09-19."
With that the clock stopped ticking toward the demise of some of California's most infamous killers. Among the most well-known in the Bay Area were Scott Peterson, Richard Allen Davis, Ramon Salcido, Charles Ng and Cary Stayner.
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Currently, there are 737 inmates on California's Death Row, the largest number in the country by far. Clarence Ray Allen was the inmate put to death at San Quentin at 12:20 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2006.
Prison workers immediately began the process of dismantling the death chamber -- removing the heavy metal green chair used to strap in inmates for one final time.
The equipment was then loaded on to a truck to be taken to a state warehouse.
Meanwhile, Twitter was abuzz with comments about Newsom's decision.
