California prosecutors oppose Gavin Newsom over death sentence commutations

At least 12 California district attorneys are publicly opposing Governor Gavin Newsom over his plan to commute all 548 death sentences in the state, Fox News reported. The prosecutors argue that the move overrides jury decisions, disregards the families of victims, and goes against the will of California voters. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Governor Newsom commuted the death sentences of all 548 inmates on state death row, marking the largest mass clemency action in United States history. [1][3]

Governor Newsom announced the plan on Thursday, stating that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with the values of California, Fox News reported. The action converts the death sentences to life sentences without the possibility of parole. According to the Associated Press cited by Fox News, 382 of the cases still require approval from a minimum of four California Supreme Court justices. [1]

Gavin Newsom is a member of the Democratic Party who has served as the 40th governor of California since 2019. He previously served as the lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and as the mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. As FTMQ News reported earlier, California has not executed a prisoner since 2006. [2][3]