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DETAILS The Director has requested an item by item analysis of Governor Brown's article (copy attached) entitled "yZet's Abolish Capital Punishment, " which appeared in the August, 1960, issue of "Good Housekeeping Magazine." t is noted that the article does not mention the Bureau or the Director. STATEMENT: Brown points out that in reaching his decision to grant Caryl Chessman his eighhreprieve on the night of 2-18-60, "It all boiled down to one thing. I believe that capital punishment is wrong. I knew I had to give Chessman one last chance." The following week, Brown urged the California Legislature to repeal the death penalty. When it was apparent that they would not, he suggested the death penalty be suspended for 3 1/2 years as an experiment in humanitarianism This was turned down by a senate judiciary committee vote of 8 to 1. COMMENT: Brown fails to mention that one of the most important facors he considered before reaching his decision to reprieve Chessman was a State Department telegram advising that the Chessman execution might lead to hostile demonstrations against President Eisenhower in connection with his visit to Uruguay in early March, 1960. Brown's attempts to have the death penalty repealed or suspended by the California legislature are factual according to newspaper accounts. STATEMENT: Brown advises he will not give up the fight to abolish the death penalty. He pelieves capital punishment +s brutal and degrading to society and has been a gross failure. ; ' COMMENT: iene el Brown is adamant in his belief on this controversial subject. His popularity declined as a result of his handling of the Chessman case and this article may be a shrewd attempt on his part to recapture lost political ground. -STATZ MENT: A 1958 nationwide survey by Elmo Roper Associates revealed that only 42 per cent of the American people favored the death penalty, 50 per cent opposed it and 8 per cent had no opinion. _ me -~2-