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Gavin Newsom commutes more than 500 death sentences in California (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 days ago by to c/news@lemmy.world
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Democrat’s move prevents these people from executions under future governors, after Christa Pike’s failed execution

Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, has commuted the death sentences of more than 500 people on the state’s death row on Thursday, a move that ensures they can never be executed under future administrations.

The Democrat’s mass commutation at the end of his term has converted all of the state’s death sentences to life without the possibility of parole, the largest clearing of any US death row in modern history.

The move comes after the failed execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee sparked global outrage and renewed calls for a nationwide pause on capital punishment.

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[–] 2 points 3 days ago* (14 children)

the largest death row in the western hemisphere

Shame on you California and USA, California is often promoted as more progressive than most of USA. But this is barbaric medieval practice and is against democratic principles. This point alone would make USA or California alone far away from being eligible for EU membership.
USA is not a civilized society, it's a barbaric society of violence and extremism.

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  • [–] 31 points 3 days ago* (2 children)

    FWIW, they haven't actually executed anyone there in twenty years, and Newsom issued a moratorium when he took office in 2019. In typical Newsom fashion, he's playing it for maximal media attention, but this is not some huge change for California.

    As for the rest of the US, feel free to pile it on. Capital punishment erodes the soul of a nation, and the more you use it, the worse the corrosion.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 days ago

    FWIW, they haven’t actually executed anyone there in twenty years,

    I know, but it's still torture to be on death row, and practices can change, as long as the death penalty is used in courts, there's a risk you may actually at some point get executed.
    It's not only the act itself that is barbaric.

    I 100% agree with your last part, we have a saying here, "vold avler vold" which translates to violence breeds violence.
    The more violence you allow the public to use against citizens, the more violence there will be in that society.
    And USA is an extreme case in that regard, and has way more violence than countries USA is normally compared with.
    Death penalty, three strikes, police violence, and lack of gun control are all huge parts of this.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 days ago (10 children)

    It might be the largest because of how long and thorough the process is or even it could just be not advertising carried out. I'm positive Texas and Florida have much smaller death rows because they whip through them.

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  • [+] -7 points 3 days ago* (9 children)

    There is no process, when you are on Death row, it's because a court has given you the death penalty. It's just not executed.
    Being on Death Row is torture!!

    Why are you making excuses for the death penalty??

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  • [–] 5 points 3 days ago (1 child)

    That's just not true. Receiving a death sentence triggers an automatic appeals process because of how often things are gotten wrong. The state can absolutely tie that up. There is also just all the logistics involved that they can also tie up.

    I'm absolutely not defending the death penalty. I'm very much against the death penalty. I'm explaining why having a large backlog could be precisely because California is more progressive and deliberately slows things down unlike some other states. Just a hypothetical this could be the reason. California was one of the first states to pass a "three strikes law", which is another awful sentencing scheme.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 days ago

    That’s just not true. Receiving a death sentence triggers an automatic appeals process because of how often things are gotten wrong.

    OK that's true, but not many get off, so that can never explain why California has the longest death row.

    I’m absolutely not defending the death penalty. I’m very much against the death penalty.

    On that we agree then.

    I’m explaining why having a large backlog could be precisely because California is more progressive

    I don't consider California as progressive in this regard, they may be slightly less extreme that's all. Sitting on death row is torture, and you could get executed if the next governor is an ass. Also having the death penalty without executing is very likely to make court less uncomfortable giving a death sentence. Meaning California could have a higher rate of verdicts that include the death penalty.
    So I reiterate, that even without executing people, the death penalty is against both human rights and democratic principles.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 days ago (6 children)

    They were not even remotely doing that.

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  • [+] -8 points 3 days ago (5 children)

    They literally were, and it's in the article. You are not on death row without having received the death penalty.

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  • [–] 8 points 3 days ago (4 children)

    Nothing to do with what they said. They were talking about California's being the largest and why. They didn't defend the death penalty whatsoever. And they never even remotely implied you could be on death row without getting the death penalty.

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  • [–] -4 points 3 days ago (3 children)

    Where do I claim any of that?

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  • [–] 6 points 3 days ago (2 children)

    The two comments I replied to? Right above this? Do you not recall? Are you feeling okay?

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  • [–] -2 points 3 days ago (1 child)

    They were not even remotely doing that.

    Then you'll have to explain what you meant by that? Because apparently that's not clear.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

    No, it's pretty clear. You certainly understood in your first reply. I don't know why you are pretending now. Nobody else in this thread was confused.

    I'm not really interested in going down this Rabbit Hole of self-deception you are building so I'm just going to ignore anything else you say from now on. Maybe touch some grass.

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