Newsom’s plan to commute 548 California death sentences draws opposing reactions

Crime · First reported 7 Nov, 19:10 · Updated 19:31

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Johnson Space Center · Public domain

California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will commute all 548 death sentences to life without parole, citing his opposition to capital punishment. Prosecutors and some victims’ relatives warn the change could deepen families’ distress or create future routes to release, while Polly Klaas’s sisters told Newsom they did not believe executions were the right response to her murder. (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a; 6710833f-bcc3-4b7e-ab99-e933a683f874)

Newsom announced plans to commute all 548 California death sentences to life without parole, saying he believes the death penalty cannot be applied fairly. (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a)
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer and Polly Klaas’s father, Marc Klaas, criticized the plan; Newsom’s office says the commutations would not make inmates eligible for release. (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a; 6710833f-bcc3-4b7e-ab99-e933a683f874)
Newsom said a conversation with Polly Klaas’s sisters influenced his decision; they told him they did not believe capital punishment was the best way forward. (6710833f-bcc3-4b7e-ab99-e933a683f874)

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Key facts

Planned commutations: 548 California death sentences to life without parole (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a)
Announcement date: Newsom’s letter was dated Nov. 5 (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a)
Legal hurdle: For inmates convicted of felonies on two or more occasions, a California Supreme Court recommendation with at least four justices concurring is required, according to Fox News (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a)
Newsom’s stated rationale: He said the death penalty cannot be applied fairly and risks executing innocent people (cf1928f3-af97-4dfc-8325-f7f3a22d2b0a)