Newsom commutes executions for all 548 California inmates on death row

Published November 5, 2026 5:31pm ET Updated November 5, 2026 5:31pm ET

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is commuting the death sentences for all 548 inmates on death row in California, he announced Thursday.

Newsom’s clemency act comes in the final months of his position as governor, before Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra (D-CA) takes over the helm of the state. The outgoing governor said the list of 548 people on death row comprises “the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere.”