California governor to grant clemency to all 548 death row inmates in state
LOS ANGELES: California Governor Gavin Newsom said on Thursday he would commute the death sentences of all 548 inmates currently condemned to execution in his state, the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere, declaring that he believes capital punishment to be morally wrong.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that he will commute the death sentences of all 548 inmates currently on death row in his state, marking the largest such commutation in the Western Hemisphere. The governor, a Democrat hoping to secure his party's presidential nomination in 2028, stated that he believes capital punishment to be morally wrong.
This decision comes as Newsom ends his second and final term as governor, following a moratorium on executions since March 2019. California last carried out an execution in 2006 under Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Death penalty remains a legal option in the state, but its use could be restored by future governors.
Newsom's move has drawn mixed reactions. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office would continue to evaluate every death penalty-eligible case with the utmost care and restraint. The governor's decision was influenced by his deeply held belief that the state cannot morally take a life. He acknowledged that the crimes committed by the inmates were horrific, but argued that the state should not be the one to inflict such a punishment.
The US debate over capital punishment was recently reignited following a failed execution in Tennessee, where the inmate survived the botched procedure, and another planned execution in Texas involving Nidal Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people in a shooting at Fort Hood military base.
Despite the public's mixed feelings on the issue, Newsom's action will grant him a significant legacy in a highly contentious social matter. The poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos found that 55% of Americans supported the death penalty for the most serious crimes, while 31% were against it. A third of respondents believed in retrying a condemned criminal if the first execution attempt failed.
The governor's stance on the death penalty contrasts with that of President Donald Trump, who resumed federal executions after a 20-year gap.
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