California to dismantle America's largest death row at San Quentin State Prison

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is moving to dismantle the United States' largest death row at San Quentin State Prison. The aim is to turn the section into a "positive, healing environment.”

"The prospect of your ending up on death row has more to do with your wealth and race than it does your guilt or innocence," he said. "We talk about justice, we preach justice, but as a nation, we don’t practice it on death row." a condemned inmate is led out of his east block cell on death row at San Quentin State Prison, in San Quentin, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is moving to dismantle the nation's largest death row by moving all condemned inmates to other prisons with in two years. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) ( ) Barbed wire is seen inside the east block of death row at San Quentin State Prison, in San Quentin, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom's goal is to turn the section of San Quentin State Prison into "a positive, healing environment." (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) ( ) Shown is the entrance to the east block of death row at San Quentin State Prison. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) ( )

California, which last carried out an execution in 2006, is one of 28 states that maintain death rows, along with the U.S. government, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. While other states like Illinois have abolished executions, California is merging its condemned inmates into the general prison population with no expectation that any will face execution anytime in the near future.

"We are starting the process of closing death row to repurpose and transform the current housing units into something innovative and anchored in rehabilitation," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Vicky Waters told The Associated Press.