Gov. Newsom to Commute 548 Death Sentences in California to Life Without Parole

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that he will commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The decision affects 529 men and 19 women currently on death row. Newsom, a Democrat who has served for eight years, made the announcement as he prepares to leave office and considers a run for the presidency. He had previously placed a moratorium on executions in California in 2019.

Newsom stated in a public letter that he is taking this action because he believes state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values. He wrote that such actions undermine the foundations of the legal system and diminish the state’s residents. The governor noted that he realized the limits of what government can justly accomplish before making this move. He described the decision as one of the most difficult of his career because it will surface painful memories for the families of crime victims.

The California state constitution requires the California Supreme Court’s approval to grant clemency to anyone convicted of a felony more than once. According to Newsom’s office, the court must approve 382 of the commutations. This represents roughly 70% of the total cases involved in the announcement. The final say in these hundreds of cases rests with the state's highest court.

Criticism from legal and victims' groups has been immediate and pointed. Patricia Wenskunas, founder of the advocacy nonprofit Crime Survivors, called the decision offensive and outrageous. She said her heart hurts for every victim and their family members. The California District Attorneys Association had previously sent a letter to Newsom expressing grave concerns about the move. President Jeannine M. Pacioni warned that erasing judgments without considering individual facts would be a disservice to justice.

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow called the move a sickening abuse of power. Dow referenced specific cases, including the 1999 murders of Rachel Newhouse and Aundria Crawford by Rex Allan Krebs, and the 1995 murder of 19-month-old Kesha Gurke by Michael Whisenhunt. He noted that juries in his county had sentenced both men to death and that the state Supreme Court had affirmed those judgments. Dow said the families have waited decades for the state to keep its word, but the governor broke that promise.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer also condemned the decision. He described it as mercy for the wolves and the ultimate act of cruelty on the sheep. In contrast, the American Civil Liberties Union applauded the announcement. Executive Director Anthony Romero said the commutations reflect what justice demands. He described capital punishment as a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment that has burdened the state for too long. The ACLU is currently involved in a legal challenge alleging that California’s death penalty statute is racially discriminatory.

Californians voted to uphold the death penalty via ballot measures in 2012 and 2016. No one has been executed in the state since 2006, leaving California with the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere. Among the notorious cases on death row are those of Richard Allen Davis, who killed Polly Klaas in 1993, and Randy Kraft, known for his list of 16 victims in the 1970s and 1980s. Jess Nichol, Klaas’ sister, said her views have evolved. She stated that the system tells survivors execution matters to their healing, but that it is actually a distraction from what they need.

Other governors have granted broad clemency to death row prisoners, including Oregon’s Gov. Kate Brown in 2022 and Colorado’s Gov. Jared Polis in 2020. In 2024, President Joe Biden granted clemency to 37 of 40 federal prisoners sentenced to death. Xavier Becerra, the Democrat who will take over from Newsom in January, has said he will extend the state's moratorium on the death penalty.