Newsom Commutes Every Death Sentence In California — 548 Prisoners Spared Execution In Largest Mass Clemency In U.S. History
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he is commuting every death sentence in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole — a sweeping clemency affecting 548 people on the largest death row in America.
In an open letter to Californians, Newsom wrote: “I take this action because I firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us.” He called it among the most difficult decisions of his career, acknowledging victims’ families who will strongly disagree.
The move does not repeal the death penalty — it applies only to current sentences, and 382 of the cases, involving prisoners with more than one felony conviction, still need sign-off from the California Supreme Court under the state constitution. The Death Penalty Information Center calls it the largest act of mass clemency in U.S. history; California held more than a quarter of the nation’s condemned prisoners.
Those spared include Richard Allen Davis, convicted in the 1993 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Polly Klaas; Randy Kraft, known as the “Scorecard Killer”; and Charles Ng, convicted of 11 murders in the 1980s.
Reactions split immediately. The ACLU praised the decision as “a historic step towards ending the death penalty in California and across the country.” The California District Attorneys Association strongly condemned it, with president Jeannine Pacioni saying Newsom “disregarded the decisions of hundreds of jurors and judges, and the anguish of families who lost loved ones.” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer called the commutation “mercy for the wolves.” Victims’ families landed on both sides: Steve Herr, whose son Sam was murdered by Daniel Wozniak, called the governor a “coward” and said his family was never contacted, while Jess Nichol — whose sister Polly Klaas was killed by Davis — said she now supports the move, saying whether Davis is executed “has absolutely nothing to do with my recovery or with real public safety.”
Newsom declared a moratorium on executions in 2019, shortly after taking office, and later dismantled San Quentin’s execution chamber. California voters twice rejected ballot measures to abolish the death penalty, most recently in 2016, and the state has not carried out an execution since 2006. The announcement landed on the same day that Alabama, Indiana and Florida each carried out an execution.
Sources: CNN and USA Today.
