"Yes": Joseph DeAngelo Accepts the Terms of His Plea, June 2020

In a university ballroom turned courtroom, the judge read out the terms of the deal that spared Joseph DeAngelo the death penalty, and DeAngelo answered "Yes".

Subject

Joseph James DeAngelo

Recorded

June 29, 2020

Runtime

1:52

Content warning: Refers to murders and to uncharged crimes that include rapes.

The Hearing

On June 29, 2020, Joseph James DeAngelo appeared before Judge Michael Bowman to plead guilty to thirteen murders committed in California between 1975 and 1986. Because of COVID-19 distancing rules, the Sacramento County Superior Court sat in a ballroom at California State University, Sacramento. This Sacramento Bee clip shows part of the hearing in which the judge set out the terms of the plea agreement. DeAngelo, aged 74, answered "Yes" each time he was asked whether he understood.

Historical Context

Between 1974 and 1986 an unidentified man committed dozens of rapes and at least thirteen murders across California. As the investigations grew he was known as the Visalia Ransacker, the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker, and later as the Golden State Killer. In April 2018 investigators used genetic genealogy to identify him as DeAngelo, a former police officer living in Citrus Heights, outside Sacramento. He was arrested on April 24, 2018, and charged with 13 murders and 13 kidnappings. The rapes could no longer be charged because the statute of limitations had run out.

Circumstances of the Hearing

Prosecutors from several counties agreed not to seek the death penalty in exchange for his guilty pleas and his admission of dozens of uncharged crimes, many of them rapes. During the hearing, which the court livestreamed, prosecutors read out the counts and the uncharged acts, and DeAngelo answered "guilty" or "I admit". Those answers are not in this clip. Survivors of the uncharged rapes were referred to in court by "Jane Doe" and a date.

What the Recording Covers

The judge tells DeAngelo that he will receive 11 consecutive sentences of life without the possibility of parole and 15 concurrent life sentences, plus time for weapon enhancements. He lists the counties in which uncharged acts occurred, Sacramento, Yolo, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara, which agree not to charge him for them. He explains that every victim and family member may speak at sentencing without limits on time or content, and that DeAngelo must withdraw all pending motions and give up his right to appeal. DeAngelo answers "Yes" twice and, to the last question, "Yes, Your Honor".

What Makes the Recording Significant

DeAngelo did not testify, gave no interviews and offered no explanation. His words at this hearing, formal answers to the judge and to the prosecutors, and his brief statement before sentencing on August 21, 2020, are, as far as is publicly known, all he has said in public about the crimes. This clip records the moment he accepted, in court, the terms that would keep him in prison for life.

Archival Importance

The plea brought to an end one of the most important cases in the history of forensic genetic genealogy. The terms set out here shaped the sentencing hearing of August 18 to 21, 2020, when survivors and families spoke without time limits, and DeAngelo was sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole.

Important Caveats

Despite its title, the clip does not show DeAngelo saying he is the Golden State Killer, or saying "guilty" or "I admit". It shows only his agreement to the plea terms. His only words in it are his three answers: "Yes" twice and "Yes, Your Honor". The clip starts and ends mid-sentence.

Judge: [clip begins mid-sentence] ...[unclear: "anticipate" / "participate"] that you will receive 11 consecutive life without the possibility of parole sentences, with 15 concurrent life sentences. Additional time for weapon enhancements will be imposed as mandated by law. Do you understand that as well, sir?

Joseph James Deangelo: Yes.

Judge: The aforementioned uncharged acts that you will be admitting to having occurred in Sacramento County, Yolo County, San Joaquin County, Stanislaus County, Contra Costa County, Alameda County, and as well as Santa Clara County: as a result of these admissions to these uncharged acts, the above-listed counties have agreed to abstain from charging you with any offenses stemming from or related to those specific events for which you'll be admitting responsibility.

Judge: All victims and victims' family members of the charged as well as the uncharged acts will be able to give a victim impact statement at judgment and sentencing, without limitation as to the time and without limitation as to the content. At the time of judgment and sentence, you'll receive 11 consecutive life without the possibility of parole sentences, with 15 concurrent life sentences. Additional time, as stated, for the weapon enhancements will be imposed as mandated by law. You will not be considered for any other sentence. Do you understand, sir?

Joseph James Deangelo: Yes.

Judge: In addition, you agree to withdraw all pending motion as to today's date, June 29th, 2020. As a condition of this plea, you will agree to waive any and all appellate rights. Do you understand the terms of this plea, Mr. DeAngelo?

Joseph James Deangelo: Yes, Your Honor.

Judge: Sir, have you had enough time to speak to your attorneys and [clip ends; no further words made out] ---