Politics · United States · 1 hr ago
Newsom seeks to commute 548 California death sentences
California Gov.
Gavin Newsom plans to commute the death sentences of 548 prisoners to life in prison without parole.
The move comes before Newsom leaves office in January, after two terms as governor.
California has not carried out an execution since 2006, though the prisoners’ death sentences remained legally in force after Newsom paused executions in 2019.
Since voters reinstated the death penalty in 1978, the state has executed 13 prisoners, and voters rejected proposals to abolish it in 2012 and 2016.
Newsom says the death penalty conflicts with California’s values and harms victims’ families and communities.
The changes are largely symbolic, since executions have already been halted, but they would remove the death sentences.
The state Supreme Court must approve some changes and could reverse them; Newsom’s successor, Xavier Becerra, takes office in January.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he would commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life imprisonment without parole.
The decision would affect more than 500 prisoners on California’s death row.
Newsom said he opposed the state carrying out executions on moral grounds.
He said all condemned prisoners would receive the same commutation rather than distinctions based on their crimes.
California has not carried out an execution for two decades, although courts have continued to impose death sentences.
- Who
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the commutations.
- What
- He said he would commute all death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
- When
- Nov. 5, 2026.
- Where
- California.
- Why
- Newsom said the state could not morally kill people and that distinguishing among cases would create two classes of murder victims.
Newsom
Some Californians who believe people convicted of brutal crimes deserve death
Capital punishment
Newsom
Newsom said the state could not morally kill condemned prisoners.
Some Californians who believe people convicted of brutal crimes deserve death
Some Californians feel those who commit brutal crimes deserve to die.
Commuting sentences
Newsom
Newsom said he would issue the same commutation to every condemned person.
Some Californians who believe people convicted of brutal crimes deserve death
Not stated
Tennessee failed twice to execute convicted murderer Christa Pike by lethal injection before taking her to hospital.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that a firing squad execution would be livestreamed.
President Donald Trump cancelled the plan to broadcast the execution after an outcry.
Newsom announced he would commute all death sentences in California.
- Governor
- Gavin Newsom
- People affected
- 548
- New sentence
- Life without the possibility of parole
- Announcement date
- Nov. 5, 2026
- Last California execution
- Two decades ago
11 sources
California governor to grant clemency to all 548 death row inmates in state
Justiz-Vorstoß: Kaliforniens Gouverneur ändert Todesurteile zu Haftstrafen
California Governor commutes all death sentences
Newsom announces he will commute sentences of inmates on California's death row
California governor Newsom says commuting all death sentences in state
Gouverneur Californië zet doodstraffen van ruim 500 veroordeelden om in levenslang
Geschenk des Noch-Gouverneurs: Kalifornien wandelt Hunderte Todesurteile um
California governor says commuting all death sentences in the state, calls decision 'among most difficult of my career'
California governor commutes over 500 death sentences to life
Gavin Newsom wipes out California's death row in historic mass commutation
Gouverneur Californië zet 548 doodstraffen om naar levenslang: ‘Onbeschrijflijk lijden’
What people are saying
These offenders will die in prison, but not by our hand.
Many Californians feel that those who commit brutal crimes deserve to die. But as governor, I have concluded the state cannot morally kill them.
But over time I’ve realized that whether he’s executed has absolutely nothing to do with my recovery or with real public safety.
The commutations “reflect what justice demands: an end to a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment that has burdened California for far too long.