California governor says commuting all death sentences in state

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said capital punishment was "incompatible" with the values of the most populous state in the U.S. | MAX WHITTAKER / THE NEW YORK TIMES

Nov 6, 2026

LOS ANGELES – California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday he was commuting all death sentences across the state to life imprisonment, in a move that will affect over 500 prisoners.

Newsom, who is widely expected to make a run for the White House in 2028, said capital punishment was “incompatible” with the values of the most populous state in the U.S.

“Today I am acting on my long and deeply held conviction that individually and collectively we are stronger as a society when we reject state-sanctioned killing,” he wrote in a letter addressed “to all Californians.”

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