Opponents Plan Legal Challenge to Newsom's 548 Commutations

Catholic leaders praise the decision as an act of mercy

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, praised the commutation as a move that "demonstrates how justice can be rooted in mercy and restoration instead of death and retribution" and is an "incredibly encouraging and historic witness for life and advances human dignity".

Murphy said Newsom demonstrated political courage and moral clarity "that defines lasting leadership" and established "a national standard we pray will be emulated by other governors".

Sr. Helen Prejean, a Sister of St. Joseph, also praised the decision. She noted that she has accompanied eight people to their deaths and that hundreds of California faith leaders had called for the governor to "choose justice through mercy and to commute all death sentences".

Separately, the Catholic Telegraph reported on recent developments regarding Catholic-Anglican relations.

The 1701 Act of Settlement, which prohibited royal family members from marrying Catholics, was repealed in 2013.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Vatican representatives attended the coronation of King Charles III in May 2023, which featured a processional cross donated by Pope Francis. King Charles III attended an Advent service at a Jesuit church in London in December 2024.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with Pope Francis in Rome in April 2025. Pope Leo XIV met with Archbishop Sarah Mullally of Canterbury, the first female head of the Anglican Church of England, in Rome in April 2026.

During the April 2026 meeting, Pope Leo XIV warned that "new problems" had emerged in Catholic-Anglican relations, making the path to full communion more difficult. Catherine Pepinster, former editor of The Tablet, stated that the UK has improved relations with Rome and that the king is making overtures to the Catholic community.

National impact of the California commutation

Newsom's action cancels nearly 30% of all death sentences in the United States. This move leaves 1,388 people on death row nationwide, which is the lowest number since 1984.

Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, described the announcement as a "decisive moment". Maher noted that while other governors have granted universal clemency, none have done so at this scale.

During that time, the state carried out 13 executions.

Advocacy efforts leading to the clemency

Days before the clemency was granted, 50 family members of murder victims signed a letter urging Governor Newsom to grant universal clemency. In September 2025, Sr. Helen Prejean traveled to San Francisco to urge Newsom to "commute all the sentences on death row so that they’ll never be in danger of death again and the people will stand behind you".

San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú published an op-ed in April 2026 calling for the governor to commute all death sentences within his authority.

Newsom acknowledged that his decision was "among the most difficult" of his career. He recognized that the action would surface "excruciating" memories for the families of crime victims.

As background, King Charles III ascended to the throne in September 2022 and is required to maintain constitutional links between the state and the Anglican Church of England, where he is the "supreme governor". The 1896 apostolic letter "Apostolicae Curae" by Pope Leo XIII declared Anglican holy orders to be "absolutely null and utterly void," a position that remains in force.

Legal challenges and opposition to the move

The Catholic League criticized the decision on social media, contrasting his support for abortion rights and physician-assisted suicide with the commutations. They stated that his ethics lead him to "kill the innocent and save the guilty".

The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the governor's announcement. The organization is currently involved in a separate legal challenge alleging that California's death penalty is unconstitutional and racially discriminatory.

Future of capital punishment in California

California has not executed anyone in 20 years.

King Charles III was named a "royal confrater" of the papal basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome during a state visit in October 2025. King Charles III awarded Pope Leo XIV the title of "papal confrater" of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

National advertising campaign planned

Death penalty opponents are organizing a national advertising campaign to commend Newsom for his decision to commute death sentences. The U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty is funding a commercial that frames the commutation as an act of leadership and courage.

The commercial draws inspiration from Harvey Milk, Robert F. Kennedy, Dolores Huerta, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Kerry Kennedy, an author and human rights activist, stated on social media that supporting the death penalty is "morally repugnant" even if it is politically expedient.

Demographics and exonerations on death row

The Death Penalty Information Center reports that eight men of color have been exonerated from California's death row.