Gov. Newsom says he will commute all death sentences in state to life without parole
Summary
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will commute the sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row to life in prison without parole. California’s Supreme Court must approve 382 of the commutations because those cases involve people convicted of more than one felony.Key Facts
- Newsom announced the decision on Thursday as he prepares to leave office after eight years.
- California had 548 people on death row: 529 men and 19 women, according to Newsom’s office.
- The state Supreme Court must approve 382 commutations under a state constitutional requirement for people convicted of multiple felonies.
- Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in California in 2019.
- California voters rejected a 2016 ballot measure that would have repealed the death penalty.
- The ACLU welcomed the announcement and has an ongoing legal challenge to California’s death penalty statute, alleging racial discrimination and unconstitutionality.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
