California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will commute all 548 death sentences in state to life without parole
Newsom said the move could save millions in court costs as California weighs whether to end a system that has not produced an execution since 2006.
- On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he is commuting 548 death sentences to life without parole, clearing the state's death row for the first time since the late 19th century.
- Newsom cited his long-standing moral opposition to capital punishment, labeling the death penalty system a "failure" and noting he issued a moratorium on executions in 2019 shortly after taking office.
- Taxpayers spend more than $200 million annually on automatic appeals, while lawsuits argue "persistent and pervasive racial disparities" infect the system; Norma Chvez-Peterson called it a "failed and unjust experiment."
- While Newsom can commute about 40% of sentences unilaterally, the California Supreme Court must approve the remainder; victims' groups opposed the move, with Sandy Friend calling it "a slap in the face."
- Political consultant Mike Madrid noted the stance could create vulnerabilities for Newsom in the 2028 presidential election, though the governor's office stated the policy applies only to current sentences, not a formal repeal.
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212 Articles
The governor of California commuted all death sentences in the state to life imprisonment
The governor of California commuted all death sentences in the state to life imprisonment.Gavin Newsom added that he has been opposing the death penalty for almost 30 years, which has not been carried out in California for a whole year. At the...
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he would replace all death sentences in the state with life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Newsom Commutes All California Death Sentences
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he is changing all death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of speech. Newsom's decision comes as he prepared to leave office after eight years, the AP reports. In 2019, he placed a moratorium on executions in the...
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