Newsom Seeks to Commute All 548 California Death Sentences to Life Without Parole

California has not executed a prisoner since January 17, 2006, when the state put Clarence Ray Allen to death by lethal injection. California held the nation's largest death row population. It accounted for approximately 25% of all death sentences nationwide. In 2016, 53% of California voters rejected a ballot measure to abolish the death penalty. The California state constitution requires the governor to obtain state Supreme Court approval. This applies when granting clemency to individuals with more than one felony conviction.

1. Governor Gavin Newsom stated that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values and undermines the legal system. In a letter released on November 5, 2026, he described capital punishment as morally objectionable. He noted the decision was among the most difficult of his career.

2. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) welcomed the decision to commute the death sentences. Executive Director Anthony Romero stated that the death penalty reflects racial bias. He supported the governor's move to end the practice in the state.

3. Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan on November 5, 2026, to commute 548 death sentences in California. These sentences will transition to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The group includes 529 men and 19 women. The state constitution requires California Supreme Court approval for 382 of these cases because the individuals have prior felony convictions. Newsom asked the court to issue a recommendation by the end of 2026.

4. Governor Gavin Newsom implemented a moratorium on executions in 2019. This action halted the use of the death penalty in California.

1. Marc Klaas, father of murder victim Polly Klaas, criticized the governor's decision. Klaas described the commutation of the sentences as a "knife in the back" for him and other families of crime victims.

2. The California District Attorneys Association issued a statement criticizing the decision. The association argued the governor's action ignores the work of jurors and judges. Those officials reached individual sentencing decisions after lengthy legal proceedings.

3. In 2016, 53% of California voters rejected a ballot measure to abolish the state death penalty. The governor has long opposed the death penalty. He moved to commute the sentences of all 548 death row inmates before his term ends in January 2027.