The outgoing California governor granted mercy to everyone on death row

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that all death sentences in the state will be commuted to life imprisonment. He believes the death penalty contradicts California's values and undermines the justice system. Newsom acknowledged the difficulty of this decision, considering the pain it may cause victims' families. Currently, there are 548 inmates on death row in California, and Newsom had previously imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019. Although voters rejected the abolition of the death penalty in 2016, the state has not carried out any executions since 2006. Newsom is expected to leave office soon and may run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028.