Newsom Commutes Over 500 Death Sentences in California
The governor will grant clemency to 548 inmates, a move that faces scrutiny from the state Supreme Court and criticism from victims' families.
By Diego Mendoza ·
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he will commute more than 500 death sentences in California to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The governor’s office provided figures showing that 548 individuals currently on death row will receive clemency. Of those, 529 are men and 19 are women. Newsom stated he took this action because he believes state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with the state's values and undermines the legal system.
The California Supreme Court holds the final authority on 382 of these cases, which accounts for roughly 70% of the total. Under the state constitution, the court must approve clemency for anyone convicted of a felony more than once. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, this represents the largest mass clemency in American history. If all petitions are approved, the U.S. death row population would drop by nearly 30%.
Newsom has opposed the death penalty for years and placed a moratorium on executions in 2019. He noted that the decision was among the most difficult of his career. "As Governor, I alone bear responsibility for this decision and its impact, just as I alone would bear responsibility for each execution," he wrote in a public letter. The move comes as he prepares to leave office after eight years.
Critics from the legal and victims' communities reacted strongly to the announcement. Jeannine M. Pacioni, president of the California District Attorneys Association, said the governor disregarded the decisions of jurors and judges. "The victims were never given a commutation. Their families were never given a choice. They deserve far better than this," Pacioni said. San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow called the move a "sickening abuse of power," citing specific cases where families have waited decades for finality.
Steve Herr, whose son was murdered in 2010, described the decision as outrageous. "When somebody commits such a heinous crime, they do not deserve to live," Herr said. Conversely, the American Civil Liberties Union applauded the action. Executive Director Anthony Romero said the commutations reflect what justice demands: an end to a punishment that has burdened the state for too long. The ACLU is currently challenging the constitutionality of California's death penalty statute.
California has had the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere since no executions were carried out in the state after 2006. Voters upheld capital punishment in 2012 and 2016. Other governors have taken similar steps, including Gov. Jared Polis in Colorado in 2020 and Gov. Kate Brown in Oregon in 2022. Newsom’s successor, Xavier Becerra, has said he will extend the state’s moratorium on executions.
