Newsom plans to commute all 548 California death sentences

California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to commute the death sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row to life in prison without parole, but the process is not yet complete: the state supreme court must approve hundreds of the cases.

Newsom said on Thursday that he was using his constitutional clemency powers to make the changes. The Associated Press reports that 382 commutations require court approval because the prisoners were convicted of more than one felony. The Los Angeles Times puts the share requiring approval at about 60%, citing a different description of the cases covered by that requirement.

The announcement is largely symbolic in a state that has not executed anyone since 2006. Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019, and the death chamber at San Quentin was later dismantled. California has the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Associated Press.

Newsom said the death penalty was incompatible with California’s values and that its application could not be fair. Supporters of the change point to concerns about racial bias, wrongful convictions and the cost of lengthy appeals. The Los Angeles Times cited a 2025 report estimating that the state spends more than $200 million a year on death-penalty appeals and related proceedings.

The plan has also drawn opposition. The California District Attorneys Association warned Newsom last month that a blanket commutation would disregard individual cases and cause further anguish to victims’ families. Newsom acknowledged in his letter that his decision could bring painful memories back for relatives of victims.

The announcement comes as Newsom approaches the end of his time as governor and is considered a possible 2028 presidential candidate. Fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra is due to take over in January and has said he will extend the state’s execution moratorium.