California death penalty: Newsom faces calls for mass commutation

California holds approximately one-quarter of all death sentences in the United States, with 546 men and 18 women currently facing execution. Although Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in 2019 halting executions and labeling the system a failure, the death penalty remains active in the state.

As Newsom prepares to leave office in January, advocates and international human rights groups are calling for a mass commutation of all death sentences. Such a move would allow those sentenced to life in prison instead of execution, protecting them from potential future governors who might favor capital punishment.

A mass commutation would significantly impact the national landscape, reducing the total number of people under death sentences in the U.S. by more than 25%. However, Newsom faces legal constraints; unlike a president, he cannot act entirely alone, as the California Supreme Court must approve commutations for individuals with multiple felony convictions, which applies to more than half of the relevant cases.