Entries tagged with “Clarence Allen”
Sep 10, 2026
California Governor Candidate Xavier Becerra Vows to Extend Execution Moratorium, Despite Record Defending Death Sentences
Xavier Becerra, the Democratic front-runner in California’s 2026 gubernatorial race, has pledged to extend Governor Gavin Newsom’s moratorium on executions if elected in November. This is a marked shift from his previous record as the state’s attorney general, when his office defended capital convictions and pursued new death sentences. While in office, AG Becerra said he considered capital punishment as a legitimate option for crime victims, and during his 2017 confirmation hearing, he told…
Executions
Jan 15, 2026
Twenty Years Since Last Execution: California Remains Under Execution Moratorium as Advocates Push for Mass Clemency Grant
On January 17, 2006, California executed Clarence Ray Allen — the last person put to death by the state. Two decades later, California’s death row population has fallen to 580 prisoners, down from its peak near 750 in the mid-2010s. In the time since Mr. Allen’s execution, the death penalty in California has seen sustained scrutiny as concerns with racial discrimination, innocence, and costs continue to grow. Governor Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions, death-sentenced prisoners…