Biden Commutes 37 Federal Death Sentences Before Trump’s Return To Office.
United States President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, converting their punishment to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This decision comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to assume office in January.
The commutation applies to 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row, excluding three inmates, including the Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, and Robert Bowers, the perpetrator of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue massacre.
In a statement, Biden reaffirmed his opposition to the death penalty, stating, “I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” However, his decision does not affect over 2,000 individuals sentenced to death by state authorities.
Biden’s decision marks a significant departure from Trump’s policies, as the former president resumed federal executions in July 2020 after a 17-year hiatus, overseeing 13 executions during his final six months in office. Trump has since indicated plans to expand the use of capital punishment to include drug traffickers and certain migrants.
Speaking of his motivations, Biden stated, “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss.” He added that he could not “in good conscience – stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”
Under U.S. law, clemency decisions by an outgoing president cannot be reversed by their successor.
Among those spared the death penalty is Len Davis, a former New Orleans police officer convicted of running a drug ring and arranging a woman’s murder. Another is Billie Allen, who spent 27 years on death row for a bank robbery-related murder in Missouri, a crime he maintains he did not commit.
Allen expressed relief at the decision, saying, “When you are facing death every day, to have that burden off you is a great relief.” He added that some inmates viewed the clemency as an opportunity to turn their lives around.
However, Biden’s decision has drawn criticism from victims’ families. Heather Turner, whose mother was killed in a bank robbery in 2017, called the move “gut-wrenching” and “politically motivated.” Turner argued, “Justice is not only doing right. It is also handing out the right consequences. And I believe the consequence for murder is death.”
As Biden prepares to leave office, the debate over the death penalty continues to polarise Americans. While Biden’s actions align with his longstanding opposition to capital punishment, Trump’s incoming administration is expected to reignite the practice, potentially expanding its application.
Biden’s decision underscores his administration’s commitment to justice reform, aiming to end the use of capital punishment at the federal level. Yet, the clemency granted to these inmates remains a contentious issue, reflecting the complex and deeply emotional nature of the death penalty debate in the United States.
