The still governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has decided to replace with life imprisonment all death sentences of inmates who are awaiting their execution in this state of the United States, a total of 548 prisoners.
The measure has a strong symbolic component, since in California no execution has been carried out since 2006. Nevertheless, specialists in criminal justice stress that a decision of this type can entail a significant saving of millions of dollars per year in legal expenses.
Newsom’s announcement comes just two days after the name of his successor at the head of the state Executive was made known, the fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra, who becomes the first Latino to hold this position.
In a letter sent to California citizens, the governor has defended his decision and has pointed out: "Now we will be able to allow these criminals to die in darkness while we remember and honor the victims forever".