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California governor commutes sentences of more than 500 people on death row
California Governor Gavin Newsom says he will commute the death sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row, replacing them with life imprisonment without parole. It is the largest mass clemency in US history and marks a major shift in a state that has not carried out an execution for 20 years.
The commutations would reduce the national death row population by nearly 30 per cent, though about two-thirds require review by the California Supreme Court before becoming final. California has spent $6bn on capital punishment since 1978 and carried out 13 executions; at least 203 people sentenced to death in the US have later been exonerated since 1973. Newsom says the death penalty conflicts with California’s values, while supporters and critics continue to debate its deterrent effect, fairness and cost.
In short
- Newsom will commute all 548 California death sentences.
- Prisoners will serve life without parole.
- Court review is required for about two-thirds of the cases.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Commuting the sentences recognises the risk that irreversible punishment can take innocent lives, especially given the number of people later exonerated after death sentences. It also reflects concerns about the death penalty’s fairness and substantial cost, while life without parole still keeps those convicted of the gravest crimes imprisoned.
The case against
Those who oppose the commutations may argue that the death penalty remains a proportionate punishment for the most serious murders and can express society’s condemnation while giving victims’ families a sense of justice. They may also contend that commutation overrides sentences reached through legal proceedings and could weaken deterrence, even though its effect is disputed.