OCDA Spitzer announces crackdown on fentanyl dealers

City News Service

Special to Valley News

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer announced Tuesday, Nov. 9, his office will now pursue murder charges against convicted drug dealers who peddle dope that leads to a death, a prosecution effort also being undertaken in Riverside County.

Spitzer said the practice will work much like the so-called Watson Waiver, which permits second-degree murder charges against convicted drunken drivers involved in a deadly crash. The major difference, however, is the Watson Waiver has been approved by state lawmakers and is established legal precedence.

An ef...