California commutes 548 death sentences to life imprisonment

Politics Spice Special Features Education Sex & Relationship Interview Columns Opinion Advertise with us California commutes 548 death sentences to life imprisonment News November 6, 2026 12:35 pm California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a campaign rally at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California, on November 1, 2026. (Photo by David Swanson / AFP)

California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted all death sentences in the state to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, affecting 548 inmates on death row.

Newsom, who is widely expected to seek the US presidency in 2028, announced the decision on Thursday, describing capital punishment as incompatible with the values of the most populous state in the country.

In a letter addressed to Californians, he said the decision was informed by his long-held opposition to state-sanctioned executions.

“Today I am acting on my long and deeply held conviction that individually and collectively we are stronger as a society when we reject state-sanctioned killing,” he wrote.

California has one of the largest death row populations in the world. However, the state has not executed anyone in two decades, despite courts continuing to impose death sentences for murder and other serious crimes.

“Many Californians feel that those who commit brutal crimes deserve to die. But as governor, I have concluded the state cannot morally kill them,” he said, describing the decision as “among the most difficult of my career.”

He also expressed hope that the move would help victims’ families focus on remembering those they lost rather than the fate of the convicted offenders.

“I do, however, pray that this action will finally separate the memories of the victims of these crimes from the fate of those who harmed them. We can now let these offenders die in obscurity while we forever remember and honour their victims.”

The announcement comes amid renewed debate over capital punishment in the United States, one of the few wealthy countries that still retains the death penalty.

On the same day Newsom made the announcement, Alabama, Florida and Indiana also carried out executions.

In September, Tennessee twice failed to execute convicted murderer Christa Pike through lethal injection before she was taken to hospital, in an incident that attracted international attention.

Last month, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to livestream the firing squad execution of a man convicted of carrying out a shooting at a US Army base.

However, President Donald Trump cancelled the broadcast plan days later following criticism from across the political spectrum, the Catholic Church and the United Nations. Trump said the execution would still take place but would not be televised.

In his letter, Newsom explained the considerations behind his decision to commute the sentences of all inmates on death row, saying he did not want to create distinctions among victims based on the crimes committed against them.

“I have concluded that attempting to distinguish among crimes and offenders for clemency would inadvertently create two classes of murder victims — those whose perpetrators deserve the death penalty and then the rest,” he said.

“I will therefore issue the same commutation to every condemned person — life without the possibility of parole,” he added.

“These offenders will die in prison, but not by our hand.”

Jess Nichol, whose sister was killed by a man on California’s death row, said she had once supported the execution of the convicted killer but had since changed her position.

“But over time I’ve realised that whether he’s executed has absolutely nothing to do with my recovery or with real public safety,” she said.

“The system tells survivors that execution matters to our healing. It doesn’t. It’s a distraction from what we actually need.”

The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed Newsom’s decision, saying capital punishment was incompatible with human dignity, fairness and constitutional values.

The organisation said the commutations “reflect what justice demands: an end to a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment that has burdened California for far too long.”

Adetutu has three years experience in publishing stories on gender, health, education, metro and fact-checking.

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