Gavin Newsom Commutes All CA Death Sentences
By Jeralyn, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Thu Nov 05, 2026 at 04:45:37 PM EST
Tags: clemency, death penalty (all tags)
Posted on Thu Nov 05, 2026 at 04:45:37 PM EST
Tags: clemency, death penalty (all tags)
California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted the sentences of all 548 death row inmates to life without parole. His letter explaining the decision is here.
“State-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system and diminishes each of us.”
California accounts for 1/4 of all death row inmates in the country. No one has been executed in California in 20 years. Gov. Newsom placed a moratorium on executions in 2019.
Also, under California law, inmates with convictions in multiple felony cases will have to have the commutations reviewed by the California Supreme Court. It is expected that this will apply to more than half of those granted clemency.
Kudos to Gov. Newsom for taking this action. Here are additional reactions from groups and individuals supporting his clemency grant.
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