California commutes 548 death sentences to life imprisonment
California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted all death sentences in the state to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, affecting 548 inmates on death row. Read More: https://punchng.com/california-commutes-548-death-sentences-to-life-imprisonment/
California Governor Gavin Newsom has reduced all death sentences in the state to life imprisonment without parole, affecting 548 inmates on death row. The decision, expected to be part of Newsom's presidential campaign in 2028, was announced on Thursday and criticized capital punishment as incompatible with California's values. In a letter to Californians, Newsom stated his long-held opposition to state-sanctioned executions, saying society is stronger by rejecting state-sanctioned killing.
California, one of the world's largest death row populations, has not executed anyone in two decades despite courts continuing to impose death sentences. Newsom described the decision as "among the most difficult" of his career, hoping it would help victims' families focus on remembering the victims rather than the fate of the offenders.
The move comes amid renewed debate over capital punishment in the U.S., with Alabama, Florida and Indiana carrying out executions on the same day.
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