Newsom's Nov. 5 letter says he has decided to commute all 548 death sentences. The Los Angeles Times says about 40 percent need no court. His letter to the justices asks for a recommendation on 382.

Has decided, plans to change, will commute, and a headline that says he commutes are not the same tense. 382 of 548 is not about 40 percent, and it is not around 60 percent. A recommendation he has requested is not a commutation in effect. Life without parole, on the fact sheet, is not a release, not a pardon, and not a new finding on the conviction. Marc Klaas, in The Press Democrat, described the clemency as a knife in the back. The child is not named here.

The open letter is dated November 5, 2026, from the Office of the Governor, headed "Governor Newsom's Open Letter Regarding Commutation of All Death Sentences," addressed "To All Californians." It says, "I have decided to exercise my constitutional clemency authority to commute all California death sentences to life without the possibility of parole." It says, "I take this action because I firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values, undermines the foundations of our legal system, and diminishes each of us." Foundations, plural, is the letter. The Los Angeles Times, by Taryn Luna and Sonja Sharp, Nov. 5, 2026, updated 1:45 p.m. PT, prints that sentence with foundation, singular. The comma after values, and then undermines, is the letter. The explanatory statement filed with the court quotes the same passage as "incompatible with California's values [and] undermines the foundations." The bracketed and is the statement. It is not in the letter. The letter says the decision comes after nearly three decades of openly opposing executions, that on March 13, 2019, he instituted a moratorium, and that the moratorium formalized a de facto moratorium in place since 2006, "the last year California executed anyone." The fact sheet posted with the clemency materials says California's last execution took place on January 17, 2006. A year, in the letter, and January 17, 2006, on the fact sheet, are not the same date. The letter says, "The 548 people now under sentence of death in California make up the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere." The fact sheet says 548 people are currently sentenced to death, 529 men and 19 women. The Times prints the same 548, the same 529, and the same 19. The governor's Nov. 5 news release says he "announced that he plans to change all California death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole." Plans to change, on that release, and I have decided to commute, in the letter, are not the same tense. Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, on the release, and life without the possibility of parole, in the open letter, are not the same phrase. The letter to Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and the associate justices, also November 5, 2026, says, "I have decided to exercise my constitutional authority to commute all California death sentences." The next sentence says the proposed action "will impose the same unconditional commutation on every condemned person: a sentence of life imprisonment without parole." Without parole, in that letter, and without the possibility of parole, in the open letter, are not the same words. The California Courts Newsroom item dated Nov. 5, 2026, says he told the California Supreme Court on Thursday that he will commute the death sentences of all 548 state prisoners awaiting execution, reducing their punishments to life in prison without parole. Will commute, on that item, and the Times lede, which prints the same sentence, and has decided, in the two letters, are not the same tense. The Times headline says he moves to commute. The bullet on that page says he is seeking to commute. Moves to, seeking to, and will commute are all on that page. CBS 8, by Richard Allyn, published and updated at 9:35 p.m. PST on November 5, 2026, headlines that he commutes the sentences of all 548 inmates on California's death row. Commutes, in that headline, and will have their death sentences reduced, in the body of that story, are not the same tense. The clemency page on gov.ca.gov says that on November 5, 2026, he announced his decision to commute every California death sentence to life in prison without parole, that the offenders will remain in prison and are not eligible for release, and that the commutations will not go into effect until the necessary legal steps are completed. Will not go into effect, on that page, and a headline that says he commutes, on CBS 8, are not the same status.

The letter to the court says he seeks the court's recommendation, under article V, section 8, subdivision (a), of the California Constitution, for the 382 condemned persons with more than one felony conviction, and that he respectfully requests the recommendation by the end of this year so that he may act before the end of his term. May act, in that sentence, is not a commutation already issued for those 382. The explanatory statement is titled as a proposed death penalty clemency action. Its first sentence spells the name "Governor Gavin Newson." Newson, in that sentence, and Newsom, on the letterhead of the open letter and of the letter to the court, are not the same spelling. The statement says the same unconditional commutation, life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, will apply only to the death sentence imposed, will not change any other aspect of the underlying conviction or sentence, and will leave restitution orders in place. It says staff identified every condemned person with more than one felony conviction under California law, "whether before or after imposition of their death sentence," and that a person with "one only felony conviction" under California law was checked for a felony conviction outside California. One only is the statement's phrase. Before or after, in that statement, is not "prior." The Times says he can commute about 40 percent of the death sentences with the stroke of a pen, and that the rest require the high court's approval. A bullet on that page says state Supreme Court approval will be required to lessen nearly 60 percent of the sentences. The body says around 60 percent would require review and approval before his term ends in January, and it describes those cases as prisoners who had a felony conviction on their record prior to the death sentence, or who racked up additional crimes while awaiting execution. About 40 percent, nearly 60 percent, and around 60 percent are the Times. The court letter and the explanatory statement print 382. They do not print a percentage. 382 is not 60 percent of 548. 548 minus 382 is 166. That 166 is not 40 percent of 548. Prior to the death sentence, in the Times's description, and before or after imposition of the death sentence, in the statement, are not the same test. CBS 8 says there is an additional legal requirement for inmates with two or more prior felony convictions, and that their commutations must receive approval from the California Supreme Court, with the support of at least four of the court's seven justices. Two or more prior felony convictions, on CBS 8, and more than one felony, whether before or after, in the statement, are not the same test. At least four of seven, on CBS 8, and the constitution's requirement of a recommendation with four justices concurring, which the statement describes, are the same count in different words. The statement says the governor did not consider information about individual circumstances, apart from the facts that a death sentence was imposed and that they have more than one felony conviction. It says, "These reasons for the Governor's actions, which apply equally to all death-sentenced persons, is neither arbitrary nor an abuse of power." Is, after a plural subject, is the sentence on that page. The Press Democrat, by Austin Murphy and Colin Atagi, published November 6, 2026, at 5:17 p.m. PST and updated November 8, 2026, at 2:34 p.m. PST, reported that District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said the constitutional provision applies if a defendant has a felony conviction prior to the one that led to the death sentence. Prior, in her account on that page, is not before or after, in the statement. The paper reported she said that if that clause is applied, Richard Allen Davis, Joe Edward Johnson, and Robert Scully would need to go before the Supreme Court, and Ramon Salcido would not, and that her office is actively looking into legal options in light of the governor's decision. The crimes in those four cases are not recounted here.

The Press Democrat's deck says the governor commuted 548 death penalty sentences to life in prison, including the sentence of the man convicted of killing a child. The child's name is not in this account. The body says Jess Nichol's phone vibrated at 11:13 a.m. on Thursday, that the governor was calling, and that she recalls him saying, "We're gonna to get it done today." Gonna to is the wording on that page. It says that by "it" he was referring to his decision, made public minutes later, to commute the death sentences of the 529 men and 19 women. Commuted, in the deck, and a decision made public minutes later to commute, in the body, are not the same tense. It identified Nichol as the sister of that child, killed in 1993, and it reported that she thanked the governor and told him he was making the right decision. It reported that on Oct. 23, at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, in a part of the complex called the Honor Dorm, she told him, "To be clear, governor, we are explicitly asking you to commute all death sentences in California." The Times quoted her, after the announcement, that the system tells survivors execution matters to healing, and that it doesn't. A request she says she made on Oct. 23, a thank-you after an 11:13 a.m. call, and that healing sentence in the Times, are not the same remark. The same Press Democrat story says that same day Marc Klaas, the father, expressed outrage and betrayal, describing the clemency as "a knife in the back" that "undermines my faith in the criminal justice system." It says he told The New York Times, "We're talking about serial killers, spree killers, cop killers, baby killers. We're talking about absolutely the worst people in our society, without a doubt. And he's putting his energy into commuting these characters?" That quotation is the Press Democrat's account of what he told The New York Times. Sheriff Eddie Engram said, "I strongly oppose this decision," and that it undermines confidence in the judicial system and forces victims' families to confront painful memories. Rodriguez said her thoughts were with survivors and families who may have been surprised and shocked, that they should never feel that their loss, their voices, or the promises made through the judicial process have been forgotten, and that in announcing two days after the midterms he was prioritizing politics over victims' rights and the will of the voters. The Times quoted Sandy Friend, whom it identified as the mother of a murdered child, "It's total disrespect for the victims. It's a slap in the face." The child's name is not in this account. It quoted Phyllis Loya, whose son, Larry Lasater, a police officer in Pittsburg, Calif., was killed in the line of duty, that Newsom "has a heart for criminals, I don't think he has a heart for victims," and "He doesn't care about us." It quoted former Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, president and CEO of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, that the families of murder victims had been "run over, torn up, and thrown in the garbage," and, "It is perhaps the greatest travesty of justice I've ever witnessed," and that families of murdered children, killed police officers, and victims of school shooters, mass shooters, and baby killers were not given a phone call, a meeting, or any notice. Murdered children, in that sentence, is her category. No child is named in this account. CBS 8 said some victims' families say they were not consulted or notified before the decision. It said San Diego Police Sgt. Wade Irwin, injured in a 2016 ambush that killed his partner, Officer J.D. De Guzman, was disappointed, and that he questioned commuting every death sentence rather than considering cases individually. It said a jury convicted Jesse Gomez of the shooting and sentenced him to death. It quoted Chief Scott Wahl that the decision to commute these death sentences, "including that of the killer of SDPD Officer Jonathan De Guzman, is a betrayal of the victims and their families," and "this is not justice." J.D. De Guzman, in the sentence about the ambush, and Jonathan De Guzman, in the chief's quotation, are not the same form of the name, and they are on the same page. It said District Attorney Summer Stephan also criticized the decision, pointing to the De Guzman case and to a 2002 killing of a child. The child is not named here. It said Stephan said families who have experienced devastating losses deserve compassion, respect, and an opportunity to have their voices heard. It said Natasha Minsker, of the California Anti-Death Penalty Coalition, called the decision an act of "strong moral courage." The Times quoted Minsker that events in Tennessee and a federal firing-squad plan "have really ripped the veneer off the death penalty in this country," and that "The death penalty is an act of violence." Strong moral courage, on CBS 8, and ripped the veneer, on the Times, are not the same sentence.

The fact sheet says the action applies to all people currently under sentence of death. It says it does not release anyone from prison, make anyone eligible for parole, pardon anyone, or change the underlying conviction or restitution order. It says these individuals are specifically excluded from eligibility for the new Board of Parole Hearings commutation and resentencing regulations. It says the commutations are not pardons, exonerations, or findings of innocence. It says 45 people would be immediately subject to execution absent the moratorium. Forty-five, on the fact sheet, is not a number on the Times page read here. The open letter says, "These offenders will die in prison but not by our hand." It says, "This decision is among the most difficult of my career." The Times prints that line as "The decision is among the most difficult in my career." Of, in the letter, and in, in the Times, are not the same word. This, in the letter, and The, in the Times, are not the same word. The letter says he will issue the same commutation to every condemned person, "the most severe punishment I can lawfully impose and the state of California can ethically enforce." Will issue, in that sentence, is not a grant the clemency page says has gone into effect. The Times reported the move does not change state law, and that criminals can continue to be sentenced to death. CBS 8 reported the decision does not formally abolish the death penalty, and that abolition would require a statewide vote or legislation. The clemency page says victims registered with the Office of Victims and Survivor Rights and Services will be notified when the commutations go into effect. When they go into effect, on that page, is not Thursday's announcement. The letter to the court asks the justices to recommend by the end of this year so that he may act before the end of his term. That request is the step still in front of the 382. It is not a commutation already in effect.