Do not reverse the death sentence of the mass murderer who killed my husband

On February 16, 1988, I was 22 years old, a newlywed in love and happily employed with my husband, Wayne “Buddy” Williams, at the Sunnyvale technology company ESL Inc.

Buddy and I had lunch together as usual that day and then went back to our separate departments. That was the last time I saw him. I had no way of knowing that his kiss and hug goodbye were final.

My working day ended at 3 p.m. I was about to enter Buddy's building when a group of co-workers came running out, screaming that someone was shooting inside.

A former employee, Richard Farley, had returned to the company's headquarters. Little did we know that he had stalked our colleague Laura Black for four years and was fired for sexual harassment.

Throughout the night, Farley's violent nightmare continued. SWAT teams rescued people from his rampage while I stood alone, waiting to be reunited with my husband. Late that night I was told that Buddy was dead.

Farley shot eleven people, seven of whom died. Buddy died instantly after Farley shot him in the face with a shotgun. The other six murder victims all bled to death.

This crime was so horrific that it made national headlines and was made into a made-for-TV movie starring Richard Thomas and Brooke Shields. It also pushed anti-stalking legislation.

Farley was sentenced to death. But no California prisoner has been executed since 2006, and in 2019 Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions. That's despite the fact that just three years earlier, California voters had rejected a measure abolishing the death penalty and approved another that would speed up executions.

Then in April, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen announced his plan to sentence Farley and 13 other men previously sentenced to death for crimes committed in the county to life prison terms.

At least three of these men refused to have their sentences reduced again. In a series of hearings that began on August 8, the death sentences of five county prisoners were overturned. Six cases remain, including Farley's, which will be heard Friday before Judge Benjamin Williams.

Californians should be very concerned about what Rosen's interference would mean for their future security. At a time when mass shootings are now commonplace, the district attorney should make an example of Farley and emphasize that no shooting will ever be tolerated, regardless of when it occurred or how old the killer has become on death row.