The father of Polly Klaas, the 12-year-old girl whose 1993 kidnapping and murder shocked the nation, has called California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to commute all death sentences in the state “absolutely heartbreaking.”
Marc Klaas reacted to Newsom’s announcement during a Monday appearance on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” where he criticized the governor for circumventing California voters who have repeatedly rejected ballot measures to abolish capital punishment.
“Unbelievable” Circumvention of Voters
“Governor Newsom took this action in the face of Californians historically supporting the death penalty,” Klaas said. “There have been plenty of ballot measures to try to eliminate the death penalty. And they all fell flat. That’s what the values of Californians are.”
Klaas described Newsom’s blanket commutation as an undemocratic move that disregards public opinion. The decision affects 548 inmates, including notorious killers like Charles Ng, convicted of torturing and murdering 11 women, and Ramon Salcido, who killed his entire family.
Personal Tragedy Informs Perspective
The grieving father invoked his daughter’s horrific 1993 murder to illustrate the gravity of Newsom’s action. “Polly was having a slumber party with two of her girlfriends, and in the dead of night, this man came, and he kidnapped her, and he raped her, and he murdered her, and he threw her on a pile of garbage,” Klaas recounted.
He emphasized that his daughter’s case represents just one of hundreds where families saw justice through capital punishment sentences. “This is just replicated 548 times,” Klaas said, his voice breaking with emotion.
Political Controversy Over Death Penalty
Newsom’s sweeping commutation continues California’s years-long battle over capital punishment. While the state hasn’t executed anyone since 2006, voters have rejected measures to abolish the death penalty in 2012 and 2016, even as they approved a measure to speed up executions in 2016.
The governor has framed his action as a moral stand against what he calls a “failed system” that discriminates against people of color and the mentally ill. But victims’ families like the Klaases see it as a betrayal of justice for the most heinous crimes.
Source: www.breitbart.com โ https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/11/09/father-of-polly-klaas-newsom-commuting-all-death-sentences-heartbreaking/