Gavin Newsom commutes sentences of all death row inmates in California

Gavin Newsom, a Democrat and a rumored presidential candidate, moved to commute the death sentences of 548 inmates in California for one of his last acts as governor of the state. California Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday that he will change all death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"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," Newsom said in a letter to Californians. The outgoing governor added in the letter that he has long opposed the death penalty and issued a moratorium on executions in 2019.

Newsom, who is rumored to be considering a run for president in 2028, said the decision was among the most difficult choices of his career because it will surface painful memories for crime victims' families. "As Governor, I alone bear responsibility for this decision and its impact, just as I alone would bear responsibility for each execution," Newsom wrote.