Newsom commutes all 548 death sentences in California as he prepares to leave office

Gov. Gavin Newsom has moved to clear death row in California before he leaves office.He announced on Thursday that he plans to commute every death sentence to life in prison without parole in a decision affecting 548 inmates who are currently on death row in the state.The move comes as Newsom prepares to conclude his eight-year tenure as governor. He enacted an execution moratorium in 2019, yet hundreds remained condemned. "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.Newsom said the decision to clear death row was among the most difficult choices of his career (AP)Under the state constitution, approval from the California Supreme Court is required to grant clemency to anyone convicted of multiple felonies. California voters rejected a ballot measure in 2016 that would have repealed the death penalty in the state.Newsom said the decision was among his hardest as governor and acknowledged that it will bring back painful memories for crime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.The American Civil Liberties Union, who has said the implementation of the death penalty reflects racial bias, applauded the announcement.“These commutations reflect what justice demands: an end to a racist, error-prone, and inhumane punishment that has burdened California for far too long,” said executive director Anthony Romero in a statement.The ACLU is involved in an ongoing legal challenge to California’s death penalty statute, alleging it is racially discriminatory and unconstitutional.Newsom’s 2028 rumored runNewsom, the 40th governor of California, has long been considered a 2028 hopeful and he’s dominated prediction markets for months, peaking at 40 percent likelihood of being the Democrats presidential nominee in November.However, some analysts say his chances have since steadily declined. Newsom said in September that he wouldn’t run for president if former Vice President Kamala Harris runs a third time and that his children would have the final say on whether he takes on a 2028 presidential run.