Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – California Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday he was commuting all death sentences across the state to life imprisonment, in a move that will affect over 500 prisoners.

Issued on: 05/11/2026 - 21:37Modified: 05/11/2026 - 22:21

Newsom, who is widely expected to make a run for the White House in 2028, said capital punishment was "incompatible" with the values of the most populous state in the US.

"Today I am acting on my long and deeply held conviction that individually and collectively we are stronger as a society when we reject state-sanctioned killing," he wrote in a letter addressed "to all Californians."

With 548 people awaiting execution in California, the state has one of the largest death row populations in the world.

However, it has not carried out a death sentence for two decades, even as courts continue to impose the penalty on those convicted of murder and other serious crimes.

"Many Californians feel that those who commit brutal crimes deserve to die. But as governor, I have concluded the state cannot morally kill them," he said, calling the decision "among the most difficult of my career."

"I do, however, pray that this action will finally separate the memories of the victims of these crimes from the fate of those who harmed them. We can now let these offenders die in obscurity while we forever remember and honor their victims."

The announcement comes with a renewed spotlight on the death penalty in the United States, one of the few wealthy countries to retain capital punishment.

In September, the state of Tennessee failed twice to kill convicted murderer Christa Pike with a lethal injection before rushing her to hospital. The drama made headlines around the world.

Last month Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the firing squad execution of a man who went on a shooting rampage at a US Army base would be livestreamed.

Days later and after an outcry from both sides of the political aisle, as well as from the Catholic Church and the United Nations, President Donald Trump cancelled the plan, saying Nidal Hasan would still die, but that the sentence would not be broadcast.

'Not by our hand'

In a lengthy letter Thursday, Newsom appeared to be walking the public through his thought process and the discussions he said he has had on the issue.

He said the decision to issue a blanket commutation for all death row inmates came down to not differentiating among those affected by heinous acts.

"I have concluded that attempting to distinguish among crimes and offenders for clemency would inadvertently create two classes of murder victims -- those whose perpetrators deserve the death penalty and then the rest," Newsom said.

"I will therefore issue the same commutation to every condemned person -- life without the possibility of parole," he added.

"These offenders will die in prison, but not by our hand."

Jess Nichol, whose sister's killer is on death row in California, said she had previously wanted the culprit to die for his crime.

"But over time I've realized that whether he's executed has absolutely nothing to do with my recovery or with real public safety," she said.

"The system tells survivors that execution matters to our healing. It doesn't. It's a distraction from what we actually need."

The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the move over a practice it said conlifted with "human dignity, fairness, and the values enshrined in our Constitution."

The commutations "reflect what justice demands: an end to a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment that has burdened California for far too long."

© 2026 AFP

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