NewsLocal News

Actions

Governor Newsom to stop death penalty with executive order

death row
Posted
and last updated

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is halting the execution of more than 700 condemned inmates on the nation’s largest death row for at least as long as he’s governor.

Newsom’s office tells The Associated Press he will issue an executive order Wednesday granting a reprieve to every condemned inmate.

He’s also withdrawing the lethal injection regulations that death penalty opponents have already tied up in court. And he’s shuttering the execution chamber at San Quentin State Prison that has never been used. California hasn’t executed anyone since 2006.

Voters have narrowly supported the death penalty, most recently in 2016 when they voted to speed up the process.

Newsom says he can act unilaterally because he’s not commuting any sentences, which in many cases would require agreement from the state Supreme Court.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Sunday

12/07/2025

Partly Cloudy

51° / 40°

1%

Monday

12/08/2025

Partly Cloudy

53° / 40°

6%

Tuesday

12/09/2025

Partly Cloudy

53° / 40°

14%

Wednesday

12/10/2025

Partly Cloudy

55° / 43°

6%

Thursday

12/11/2025

Partly Cloudy

56° / 44°

5%

Friday

12/12/2025

Sunny

60° / 44°

5%

Saturday

12/13/2025

Mostly Sunny

62° / 45°

2%

Sunday

12/14/2025

Mostly Sunny

61° / 46°

3%