California governor to commute every death row sentence
Gov. Gavin Newsom will pardon the state's entire death row population, ending a practice that has produced only 17 executions since 1978.
By Luis Medina ·
California Governor Gavin Newsom will commute the death sentences of every inmate currently on death row in the state. This action will spare 737 prisoners from execution. They will serve life sentences without the possibility of parole instead. The move affects the largest group of people sentenced to death in the United States.
Newsom has signaled his support for this step in recent months. He previously commuted the sentences of 19 death row inmates in 2025. That earlier action was the largest single commutation in state history. The new order extends that practice to the entire remaining population on California's death row.
The state has executed 17 people since the death penalty resumed in 1978. The legal process for carrying out executions has often been slow and contested. Many inmates have spent decades on death row while their appeals moved through the court system. The average time from sentencing to execution in California has been roughly 22 years.
Supporters of the governor's decision argue that the death penalty is no longer consistent with the state's values. They point to the long delay between conviction and execution as evidence that the system is flawed. Critics say the move removes the final penalty for some of the most severe crimes. They argue that it places too much power in the hands of one elected official.
The commutation orders will take effect immediately upon signature. Inmates will transfer to state prisons where they can begin serving their life sentences. Their case files will show that their death sentences have been replaced with life imprisonment. This changes their legal status but does not change the underlying conviction for murder or other capital crimes.
Newsom will sign the orders on Friday, November 6, 2026. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific Time at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. Legal experts expect the move to be challenged in court. The governor's office has said it will defend the action if it faces a lawsuit.
This is the final step in a series of actions by Newsom to reform the state's criminal justice system. He has also pushed for changes in how evidence is handled and how juries are instructed in capital cases. The new commutations will be recorded in the state's official prison records. The Department of Corrections will update the status of all 737 inmates by the end of the week.
