By Islam El-Sakka
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday commuted the death sentences of more than 500 people on the state's death row, converting all to life without parole, the largest clearing of any U.S. death row in modern history.
The move ensures none of those inmates can be executed under future administrations. It follows the failed execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee, which sparked global outrage and renewed calls for a nationwide pause on capital punishment.
Newsom, a Democrat seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has long opposed the death penalty. He issued a moratorium on executions in 2019 and dismantled the state's death row chamber at San Quentin prison, transferring condemned inmates to other facilities with more freedom and access to programs.
California has not carried out an execution since 2006 but holds the nation's largest death row population. Other governors have taken similar steps, including Illinois' Republican governor commuting 167 sentences in 2003 and North Carolina's Democratic governor commuting 15 sentences in 2024.
While public support for the death penalty has declined, some Democrats have hesitated to order mass commutations fearing political attacks. Newsom has supported criminal justice reforms but has faced criticism from advocates for vetoing parole grants for high-profile prisoners.
