Newsom commutes death sentences of 548 California death row inmates
The governor cited state values and flaws in the legal system in granting what is described as the largest mass clemency in US history.
Key facts
Story- California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted the death sentences of 548 death row inmates.
- The move is described as the largest mass clemency action in US history.
- Newsom cited state values and flaws in the legal system in making the decision.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on the state's death row, the largest mass clemency action in United States history. The decision was reported on 6 November 2026.
A commutation reduces a death sentence, so the inmates will no longer face execution. Newsom said the decision reflected the values of the state and the failings of its legal system.
Newsom pointed to problems in how capital punishment has been applied in California. It is not yet known what specific cases he reviewed or what legal findings lay behind each commutation.
It is not yet known how the commutations will be carried out or whether the decision will face legal challenge. It is also not yet known how the inmates will be sentenced in its place.
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