California Governor Gavin Newsom has approved the commutation of death sentences for all 548 inmates awaiting execution in the state, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
The decision, announced on Thursday, means none of the affected prisoners will face execution under their existing sentences, although they will remain incarcerated for the rest of their lives.
Newsom said his decision was based on his opposition to capital punishment, describing state-sanctioned executions as incompatible with California’s values. He also maintained that the punishment should not determine how victims and their families are remembered.
The governor said granting clemency to selected inmates based on the nature of their crimes could create unequal treatment among victims. He therefore opted for a uniform commutation covering every prisoner on death row.
“I have concluded that attempting to distinguish among crimes and offenders for clemency would inadvertently create two classes of murder victims – those whose perpetrators deserve the death penalty and then the rest.
“I will therefore issue the same commutation to every condemned person – life without the possibility of parole, these offenders will die in prison, but not by our hand, Newsom said.
California has not conducted an execution in two decades, despite retaining the death penalty in its laws. The state has one of the largest death row populations in the world.
Channels Television reported that Newsom’s announcement coincided with executions in Alabama, Florida and Indiana, highlighting the continued use of capital punishment in parts of the United States.
The decision has received support from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which described the commutations as a step towards ending what it considers an unfair and inhumane punishment.
