Newsom empties California death row with mass commutations

Governor Gavin Newsom commuted the sentences of all 548 people on California’s death row on Thursday. Each inmate will receive a life sentence without the possibility of parole. This action stands as the largest mass clemency event in United States history. The move effectively empties the nation’s largest death row. It also cuts the total national death row population by nearly 30 percent.

California has not executed a prisoner in 20 years. Newsom explained his decision in an open letter. He stated that state executions conflicted with California’s values. He argued that the practice weakened the state’s legal system. The Death Penalty Information Center noted that two-thirds of these commutations require review by the California Supreme Court. State law mandates this review for individuals with multiple felony convictions.

Criminal justice groups welcomed the news. They described capital punishment as outdated, inefficient, and immoral. Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said previous governors had granted clemency to all inmates on their state death rows. However, none had done so on this scale. Maher stated that Newsom’s earlier moratorium and these new commutations fundamentally changed California’s relationship with capital punishment.

Public opinion on the death penalty has shifted. A majority of Americans still favor it, though support has fallen since the 1990s. An August Pew Research Center poll found that 66 percent of respondents supported the death penalty for murder convictions. Roughly 73 percent of those polled recognized the risk of executing an innocent person. Twenty-three states have abolished capital punishment. Other states retain it in law but have largely stopped using it. Lengthy appeals processes mean many prisoners are never executed.

The announcement contrasts with President Donald Trump’s administration. Trump supports executions for serious federal crimes. His administration pledged in April to broaden federal executions, including through firing squads. Supporters argue the death penalty deters crime. Critics counter that decades of research do not support that claim. Opponents also point to costs, ethical concerns, and disproportionate application to racial minorities.

California has spent $6 billion on capital punishment since 1978. During that same period, the state carried out only 13 executions. The Death Penalty Information Center reports that at least 203 people across the United States have been exonerated from death row since 1973 despite wrong convictions.

The decision comes after major Democratic midterm victories. These wins in former Republican strongholds like Texas and Kansas have fueled speculation about 2028 presidential contenders. Newsom has increasingly campaigned for Democrats nationwide. His final gubernatorial term ends in January 2027. Xavier Becerra will succeed him on January 4.