The DA's office said at the very outset the death penalty would not be requested. The reason given was that it would be commuted anyway. So there's no reason to pursue it just for show as a DP trial tends to cost more and have other difficulties. (Harder to seat a jury for one thing. Usually would have a separate punishment phase once guilt is determined. Sometimes, despite careful voir dire, a juror may not vote for guilt because of the possibility of the death penalty.) While the DA mentioned the DP as a possibility more recently, I've not seen anything to suggest there has been an official change in stance since the original announcement saying it would not be pursued.
JMO
