Newsom commutes 548 California death sentences to life terms
Why it matters: The order effectively ends executions for everyone now on the nation's largest death row, though courts can still impose new death sentences.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted the death sentences of all 548 people on the state's death row, converting them to life in prison without parole. The move affects one of the world's largest death row populations and comes even though California has not carried out an execution in about 20 years. In a letter to Californians, Newsom argued the state should not sort murder victims into categories by deciding which offenders deserve execution. He wrote that those convicted of brutal crimes will still die in prison, "but not by our hand." The decision puts fresh attention on capital punishment in the United States, where California has long kept the death penalty on its books despite a de facto halt in executions.