Newsom Announces Plan to Commute 548 California Death Sentences

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced November 5 that he would commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a sweeping clemency action that still requires court approval for some prisoners. Newsom said in an open letter that he believes state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values and justice system. The sentences cover 529 men and 19 women, according to figures in his letter. The announcement begins a process; it does not mean every sentence has already been changed. Under the state constitution, Newsom can commute sentences for people with a single felony conviction, while cases involving multiple felonies require approval from the California Supreme Court. Reports vary on how many cases need that approval, and the exact count was not settled in the announcement. A report citing Newsom’s letter said 529 prisoners had more than one felony conviction, while other accounts put the number requiring court review at roughly 40, about 60 or 382. The figures describe differing estimates of the cases subject to review, rather than a confirmed final tally. Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019,...