Graham moved to Maryland after his release in 1981, where he helped end the death penalty. The California Anti-Death Penalty Coalition is putting pressure on Newsom to commute the remaining 578 serving death sentences in California before his term ends in five months. “We need Governor Newsom to commute death sentences to bring the death penalty to an end in California,” said Natasha Minsker, an attorney and member of the California Anti-Death Penalty Coalition. It’s a symbol that California is still connected to the death penalty and supporting the death penalty by maintaining this number of people under a sentence of death.” Minsker also said that by commuting the death sentences, Newsom would send a message to the rest of the nation.