SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is considering commuting the death sentences of all 563 people on California’s death row to life imprisonment without parole, a potentially historic action that follows years of pressure from civil rights organizations, public defenders and human rights advocates seeking to end capital punishment in the state.
The New York Times reported Oct. 8 that Newsom had intensified discussions with senior advisers following a botched execution in Tennessee, although he had been considering the move for several months. The newspaper cited two people familiar with his deliberations.
The Sacramento Bee also reported Oct. 8 that Newsom had discussed commutations as one of his final actions before leaving office in January.
In 2019, Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions, describing the death penalty as “ineffective, irreversible, and immoral.” Although the order halted executions, it did not eliminate existing death sentences or prevent prosecutors from pursuing new capital cases.
The possibility of commutations follows years of pressure from civil rights organizations, public defenders and human rights groups urging Newsom to take the additional step of permanently removing the possibility of execution for those already sentenced to death.
In June 2025, more than 200 advocates gathered at the state Capitol to call for the commutation of all death sentences in California. According to Davis Vanguard coverage, participants included civil rights attorneys, disability rights advocates and families affected by the criminal legal system.
Morgan Zamora of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights said 188 organizations had endorsed the universal clemency campaign.
The calls continued in July 2026, when Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo García joined ACLU of Northern California Executive Director Abdi Soltani and other advocates at the Capitol.
The Davis Vanguard reported that approximately 25,000 signatures had been collected in support of universal clemency.
Advocates cited racial disparities, socioeconomic inequality and geographic differences in how California imposes death sentences, arguing that capital punishment is applied inconsistently and disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
García stated, “As public defenders, we see firsthand how profoundly unjust our criminal legal system is. In California, this system is deeply stained by systemic racism, flaws that cannot be undone, when the punishment is death.”
The campaign also gained international support. In August, a coalition of 46 international human rights and abolitionist organizations joined the effort, including Amnesty International and organizations affiliated with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, according to the Davis Vanguard.
A September investigation by CalMatters and The Marshall Project found that California accounted for approximately one-quarter of all death sentences nationwide, despite not carrying out an execution since 2006.
The investigation reported that 546 men and 18 women remained under death sentences at the time of its analysis. The figures differ slightly from the 563 people identified in the October reporting, reflecting different reporting dates and counts.
Researchers examined approximately 9,000 death sentences nationwide and identified significant racial and geographic disparities in California’s application of capital punishment.
Since 1987, people convicted of homicide in Riverside County have been four times more likely to receive death sentences than those convicted of homicide in Los Angeles County, according to the investigation.
The report also found that more than 200 people had received death sentences since California’s last execution, including at least 25 since Newsom imposed his moratorium.
The state also faces substantial financial costs associated with capital punishment. According to the investigation, California spends approximately $200 million annually on capital case litigation, even as many condemned prisoners wait for attorneys to handle their appeals.
Newsom would face significant legal limitations in commuting every sentence. Under California law, the state Supreme Court must recommend clemency before the governor can grant it to someone convicted of more than one felony, a requirement affecting more than half of those currently sentenced to death.
Opposition remains substantial. Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin previously argued that Newsom’s moratorium “subverted the express will of the people” and “opened fresh wounds for murder victims’ families.”
California voters also rejected ballot measures abolishing capital punishment in 2012 and 2016.
The potential commutations would carry historic implications. In 2003, Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted 167 death sentences before leaving office, while President Joe Biden commuted 37 federal death sentences in December 2024.
Commuting California’s remaining death sentences would surpass those actions and substantially reduce the number of people facing execution nationwide.
The decision also carries political implications for Newsom, who is widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. According to the New York Times, advisers have offered conflicting recommendations about whether the governor should take the action before leaving office.
As of Oct. 15, Newsom has not announced a final decision. If he proceeds, those affected would remain incarcerated, serving life without the possibility of parole rather than facing execution.
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