From BBC News · · 1m 10s
Newsom commutes all 548 death sentences in California
California's governor has commuted the death sentences of every person on death row, replacing them with life without parole.
In brief
California's governor has commuted the death sentences of every person on death row, replacing them with life without parole. California Governor Gavin Newsom commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on death row to life without parole, citing moral objections to state-sanctioned killing. Originally reported by…
Newsom commutes all death sentences
California Governor Gavin Newsom has commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on death row, replacing them with life in prison without parole.
State has not executed since 2006
The decision is largely symbolic in California, which has not executed a prisoner since two thousand six. Only thirteen inmates have been killed since voters reinstated the death penalty in nineteen seventy-eight.
Newsom cites moral objection to killing
Newsom said state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values and undermines the legal system. He concluded the state cannot morally kill people, even those who commit brutal crimes.
“the state cannot morally kill them”
Death penalty system is a failure
Newsom said California's death penalty system has failed by every measure, has not been fairly applied, and has resulted in innocent people being convicted.Life without parole is the most severe punishment he can lawfully impose.
The bottom line
California Governor Gavin Newsom commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on death row to life without parole, citing moral objections to state-sanctioned killing.
