Newsom says he will commute all 548 of California's death sentences to life without parole

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he will commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life without parole. This decision comes as he nears the end of his eight-year term as governor. In 2019, Newsom issued a moratorium on executions in the state, but 548 individuals remained on death row. Newsom stated that he believes state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values and undermines the foundations of the legal system.

He emphasized that each of us is diminished by such practices. The decision requires the approval of the California Supreme Court, as per the state constitution, for clemency to be granted to anyone convicted of a felony more than once. Despite California voters rejecting a ballot measure in 2016 to repeal the death penalty, Newsom noted that this was one of the most challenging decisions of his career due to the emotional toll on crime victims' families.

The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the commutations, calling them a reflection of justice demands: an end to a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment. The ACLU is currently involved in a legal challenge to California's death penalty statute, alleging it is racially discriminatory and unconstitutional.