San Diego County DA, local ACLU chapter respond to Newsom’s death row changes – KPBS

San Diego County DA, local ACLU chapter respond to Newsom’s death row changes  KPBS

Gov. Gavin Newsom is commuting all death sentences in the state to life without parole. Over 30 of the individuals on death row were charged, or had their day in court, in San Diego County. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he’s commuting the death sentences of 548 people in the state. It would change their death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. More than 30 of those individuals were charged, or had their day in court, in San Diego County, according to a KPBS analysis. It is a major change for capital punishment in the United States. CalMatters reported that the prisoners represent more than a quarter of the nation’s condemned inmates.

In a letter addressed to “All Californians" Newsom said he is taking this action because he firmly believes, “that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California’s values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us.” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement that the governor’s decision is a “devastating blow to the victims who suffered the loss of loved ones in some of the cruelest and most haunting ways and who have already endured a lengthy jury trial and sentencing that they counted on as a measure of justice.” Stephan also said her office is “getting calls