Governor Gavin Newsom changed the sentences of all death row inmates to life without parole, citing moral and systemic concerns.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he has commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on the state's death row. According to BBC News, the sentences have been changed to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Newsom stated in a letter that he is exercising his constitutional clemency authority because he believes state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values. He noted that the state's system for administering the death penalty is a failure that cannot be applied fairly and has resulted in the conviction of innocent people.
The decision comes as California has not executed an inmate since 2006. Newsom acknowledged that the move might anger some residents and that the decision would weigh heavily on him, but he described the action as righteous.
Anthony D. Romero, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), welcomed the move. He said the commutations reflect a need to end a punishment that he described as racist, error-prone, and inhumane.
The mass commutation will require court approval. For the approximately 400 prisoners convicted of multiple felonies, at least four of the seven judges on the California Supreme Court must sign off on the decision, according to CalMatters.
Newsom, a Democrat, is currently in his final months in office as he is term limited. Fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra is projected to take over after the midterm elections on Tuesday.
