The Aporia
NBC News. (2026, November 5). California Governor commutes all death sentences. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/california-governor-commutes-all-death-sentences-272966213517
NBC News. “California Governor commutes all death sentences.” NBC News, 5 Nov. 2026, https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/california-governor-commutes-all-death-sentences-272966213517.
NBC News. “California Governor commutes all death sentences.” NBC News, November 5, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/california-governor-commutes-all-death-sentences-272966213517.
Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.
On November 5, 2026, Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California, commuted all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without parole. This decision came as he prepared to leave office after eight years and follows his moratorium on executions since 2019. Newsom cited moral reasons, stating that "state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with" California's values. The move impacts the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere. However, it faces backlash from prosecutors and families of victims who argue that it undermines justice for crime survivors. Approximately 382 commutations will now go before the California Supreme Court for approval.