Newsom faces high-stakes choice on California death-penalty commutations

Since issuing an executive order halting executions in 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom has left California’s death-penalty system largely dormant, yet the state still lists 546 men and 18 women awaiting execution. International and domestic human-rights organizations are pressing him to commute every remaining sentence, a step that would dramatically reduce the number of death-row inmates nationwide. Such a mass commutation would require approval from the California Supreme Court for many cases involving multiple felonies.

Newsom, who has consistently opposed capital punishment, has declined to comment, while his spokesperson reiterated his belief that intentional killing is wrong. The political calculus is complex, as the governor is widely expected to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, and any clemency action could become a focal point for opponents.