 President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
WHITE HOUSE
This significant move reflects Biden’s longstanding opposition to capital punishment and aims to prevent future federal executions.
The commutations exclude three individuals convicted of terrorism or hate-motivated mass murders: Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, responsible for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; Dylann Roof, who killed nine Black church members in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Robert Bowers, who murdered 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
THE GUARDIAN
Biden’s decision comes shortly before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed strong support for capital punishment and plans to resume federal executions.
POLITICO
By commuting these sentences, Biden seeks to ensure that those spared from execution in recent years are not subjected to it under the incoming administration.
This action aligns with the Biden administration’s earlier moratorium on federal executions, intended to allow time for a comprehensive review of capital punishment protocols.
AP NEWS
Attorney General Merrick Garland has previously expressed concerns about the death penalty’s application, particularly regarding its disparate impact on people of color and the potential for wrongful convictions.
The commutations have garnered support from various civil rights and religious organizations that advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
However, they have also sparked criticism from those who believe that certain crimes warrant the ultimate punishment.
In addition to these commutations, President Biden has recently granted clemency to nearly 1,500 federal convicts and issued 39 pardons, including a controversial pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of felony gun charges.
THE SUN
These actions contribute to Biden’s legacy of addressing perceived injustices within the criminal justice system.
It’s important to note that this decision affects only federal death row inmates; individuals sentenced to death in state courts are not impacted. Currently, there are over 2,000 individuals on death row across the United States, with the majority held in state facilities.
CADENA SER
As President Biden’s term concludes, these commutations underscore his commitment to criminal justice reform and his opposition to the death penalty, setting a precedent for future federal policies regarding capital punishment.
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AP News
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