world
Newsom Moves to Commute All 548 California Death Sentences to Life Without Parole
Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will commute all 548 California death sentences to life in prison without parole.
Key points
- Newsom announced the decision Thursday in an open letter, citing his constitutional clemency authority.
- The move does not repeal California's death penalty or stop prosecutors from seeking it in future cases.
- Some cases will require California Supreme Court review because the state constitution requires court approval for certain clemency.
Why it matters. The commutations could change the sentences of 548 condemned prisoners, even as California voters have repeatedly chosen to keep the death penalty.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he will commute the sentences of 548 people facing the death penalty in California to life in prison without parole. He said he is using his constitutional clemency authority, and the move does not repeal the death penalty or stop prosecutors from seeking it in future cases. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said the commutations override jury verdicts, while Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo García praised them.
Latest updates
Newsom Moves to Commute All 548 California Death Sentences to Life Without Parole
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced in an open letter that he will commute the sentences of 548 people currently facing the death penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He said he is using his constitutional clemency authority. The decision does not repeal California's death penalty statute, and prosecutors can still seek capital sentences in future cases. Newsom said he believes state-sanctioned killing is wrong, and his letter framed the action as a personal moral judgment. The announcement marks one of the largest single clemency actions in the state's history, though its legal durability and any response from victims' families and lawmakers were not detailed in the reporting.