Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to commute the death sentences for all of California’s current death row inmates is drawing a harsh reaction from district attorneys around the state.
There are 561 inmates currently on death row in California. Thursday, the governor announced the commutations. People sentenced to death will instead face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The decision impacts 15 death row inmates from Ventura County, three from Santa Barbara County, and two from San Luis Obispo County.
Newsom said executions are incompatible with California’s values, and that the state cannot execute people in what he called "our imperfect legal system" and remain true to core values.
The California District Attorneys Association released a statement saying the decision disregards hundreds of jury verdicts, and overrides the will of voters who in 2012 reaffirmed the death penalty.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Naserenko says the decision affects the families of 15 victims in Ventura County. He says life without parole was not the sentence determined in a courtroom for the cases.
San Luis Obispo County DA Dan Dow called the governor’s action "a sickening abuse of power." He said each case was carefully weighed by juries, and automatically reviewed by the State Supreme Court.
Constitutionally, some of the case will have to be reviewed again by the State Supreme Court before they can be commuted.
