California Governor, Gavin Newsom, has announced plans to commute the death sentences of all 548 inmates on the state’s death row to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Newsom announced the decision on Thursday, November 5, 2026, in what has been described as the largest mass commutation of death sentences in American history.

The decision means the affected inmates would no longer face execution if their sentences are formally commuted. Instead, they would remain in prison for life without the possibility of release.

According to reports, the 548 inmates comprise 529 men and 19 women.

In a three-page letter addressed to Californians, Newsom said the decision was based on his long-standing opposition to state-sanctioned executions.

He argued that capital punishment was incompatible with the state’s values and raised concerns about fairness and the reliability of the criminal justice system.

Newsom said the state could not morally execute the prisoners, despite acknowledging the suffering caused by the crimes for which they were convicted.

The announcement follows his decision in March 2019 to impose a moratorium on executions in California, shortly after assuming office.

The governor had also ordered the dismantling of the state’s execution chamber and withdrawn the state’s lethal injection protocol as part of his opposition to capital punishment.

California has not carried out an execution since 2006, although the death penalty remains legal under state law.

The state has maintained the largest death row population in the United States, with the 548 inmates accounting for a significant proportion of prisoners awaiting execution nationwide.

However, the commutation process is subject to legal requirements. Under California’s constitution, the state Supreme Court must review clemency decisions involving offenders with multiple felony convictions.

Reports indicate that 382 of the affected inmates have more than one felony conviction, meaning their commutations require the court’s review before they can become final.

The decision has attracted differing reactions from supporters and opponents of capital punishment.

Advocates against the death penalty have welcomed the move, citing concerns about wrongful convictions, racial disparities, the cost of maintaining death row and the possibility of executing innocent people.

However, some prosecutors and relatives of murder victims have criticised the decision, arguing that it undermines the sentences imposed by courts and the expectations of victims’ families.

The development comes as Newsom approaches the end of his second and final term as California governor.

Although his decision would change the sentences of all affected inmates once finalised, it does not abolish the death penalty in California. Capital punishment remains part of state law and could be reinstated by a future administration, subject to the legal framework governing its use.

Newsom’s announcement nevertheless marks a major development in California’s long-running debate over capital punishment.