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- calendar_today November 5, 2026
Governor Newsom Takes Historic Action Against Death Penalty
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that he has commuted all death sentences in the state, declaring that state-sanctioned killing is "incompatible with California’s values." In an open letter to constituents, Newsom described the decision as "among the most difficult of my career."
Commutation Impacts Hundreds on Death Row
This executive action directly affects the "548 people now under death sentence in California," according to Newsom. He noted that this number represents "the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere." As of Tuesday before the announcement, official Department of Corrections records listed 561 inmates on death row.
California's History with Capital Punishment
Though California has held the largest death row, the state has not carried out any executions since January 17, 2006, when Clarence Ray Allen was put to death by lethal injection. Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1976 ruling in Gregg v. Georgia, there have been 1,687 state executions nationwide. Of those, Texas accounted for 603, while California carried out just 13.
Reactions from Advocacy Organizations
Nadia Daar, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA, praised the move, stating, "This is a day that will be remembered in California’s history and resonate globally for years to come." Daar added that "the death penalty should be abolished, everywhere," calling the commutations a significant moment for human rights in both California and the country at large.
Robin Maher, Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, echoed that sentiment, calling Newsom’s action a "decisive moment in the history of the death penalty in the United States." Maher noted that while other governors have granted universal clemencies, "none have been at this scale."
Context of Executive Clemency in the U.S.
This commutation of all death sentences by Governor Newsom is one of the largest acts of executive clemency relating to capital punishment in U.S. history. While universal clemencies have been issued before, California’s action involves the greatest number of people affected in a single decision.
Looking Ahead for California and the Death Penalty
With no executions in more than a decade and the decision to commute all existing death sentences, California’s future direction regarding capital punishment remains a topic of national and international interest. Governor Newsom’s statement affirms a continuing shift away from the use of the death penalty in the state.
Source: nbcnews.com.
