California Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that he is moving to commute all California death sentences, marking a historic step toward ending the death penalty in California and across the country.
The ACLU, ACLU of Southern California, ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and ACLU of California have joined hundreds of organizations and individuals urging Governor Newsom to take this necessary step to address the persistent and systemic flaws in the death penalty in California.
Anthony D. issued Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, provided the following statement:
“Today, Governor Newsom made history by announcing his intent to commute all of California’s death sentences and eliminate the nation’s largest death sentence. In doing so, he honored his commitment to ending a system that is inconsistent with human dignity, justice, and the values enshrined in our Constitution.
“These commutations reflect what justice demands: an end to the racist, wrongful, and inhumane punishment that has burdened California for too long. By taking this step, Governor Newsom has affirmed that the death penalty has no place in California and has demonstrated true courage by confronting racial injustice head-on.”
“The evidence against the death penalty has been overwhelming for decades. As the ACLU and its allies have documented in courts across the country, the risk of a person being put to death is predictable, but for all the wrong reasons: race, geography, and politics. Such deep and systemic injustice demands a systemic response. Today, California is close to closing the chapter on cruel and morally and legally corrupt practices, and setting a powerful example for others to follow.”
Governor Newsom’s announcement comes amid ongoing legal challenges to California’s death penalty system. In April 2024, the ACLU, along with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the state Solicitor General’s Office, filed a resolution lawsuit Challenging the state’s death penalty law as racially discriminatory and unconstitutional under the equal protection guarantees of the California Constitution.
The evidence presented in that lawsuit revealed the racial bias prevalent in California’s implementation of the death penalty. Black people are up to eight times more likely to be sentenced to death than similarly situated non-Black defendants, while Latino people are at least six times more likely to be sentenced to death.
Under California law, the governor has unilateral authority to commute death sentences in cases that do not involve additional criminal convictions. For cases involving additional felony convictions, the governor’s commutation request now goes to the California Supreme Court for review and approval.
Additional data below is from affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of California:
Abdi Soltani, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California:
“The death penalty has no place in California – or any society that values justice, fairness, and human rights. Our organization has fought for decades against this archaic and inhumane system, and we applaud the governor for taking bold action to end it.”
Chandra Bhatnagar, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California:
“From its inception, California has imposed the death penalty in a racially discriminatory manner, creating a two-tiered justice system. With this historic act of clemency, the state can turn the page — rejecting a broken and biased system and embracing a more just and equitable future for all.”
Norma Chavez Peterson, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties:
“Systemic injustice calls for systemic solutions. By granting blanket clemency to all people sentenced to death in California, Governor Newsom has joined a chorus of leaders across the country who have rejected the death penalty and recognized it as a failed and unjust experiment. This is not about individual cases, it is about addressing a system that is racist, fundamentally flawed, ineffective, and beyond repair.”
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