On Monday, President Joe Biden made a significant announcement, commuting the sentences of 37 out of the 40 people currently on federal death row. This action comes as the Biden administration pushes forward with its efforts to limit the use of the death penalty in the United States, particularly at the federal level. The commutations, which convert death sentences to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, were made just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, who has advocated for the expansion of capital punishment, takes office.
This bold move has spared the lives of individuals convicted of heinous crimes, including the murder of law enforcement officers, military personnel, and civilians on federal land. The list of those affected by this decision includes people involved in deadly bank robberies, drug deals, and even those who killed guards or prisoners while incarcerated in federal facilities. With the commutation of these 37 sentences, only three federal inmates remain under the threat of execution: Dylann Roof, responsible for the 2015 racist massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted for his role in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; and Robert Bowers, who murdered 11 people during the deadly 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.
President Biden’s decision reflects his longstanding commitment to reforming the justice system and reducing the reliance on capital punishment. In a statement, Biden emphasized that while he strongly condemns the actions of these individuals and sympathizes deeply with the victims’ families, he believes the death penalty is unjust and ineffective. “I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system,” Biden stated. “These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my administration imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.”
This latest move is not the first time Biden has taken steps to reduce the use of the death penalty. In 2021, the Biden administration implemented a moratorium on federal executions, halting the practice for the duration of Biden's term. However, during his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden went a step further, vowing to work towards passing legislation that would eliminate the death penalty entirely at the federal level and incentivize states to follow suit. While this language didn’t make an appearance in Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign platform, the president’s stance on this issue has remained firm.
Biden’s decision to commute the sentences also sends a clear message to President-elect Trump, who has long advocated for the expansion of capital punishment. Trump’s stance on the issue has been starkly different. In his 2024 campaign announcement, Trump called for the death penalty for individuals caught selling drugs, labeling such crimes as "heinous acts." He has also expressed support for the death penalty for those involved in human smuggling and has praised China for its harsh treatment of drug dealers. Under Trump’s first term, 13 federal executions took place, more than any other president in modern history, marking a stark contrast to the current administration’s position.
The Biden administration's action also follows a recent wave of clemency measures. Just weeks before commuting the death sentences, Biden granted clemency to roughly 1,500 individuals who had been released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. This move, along with the commutation of 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes, is being hailed as the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
Moreover, this decision comes on the heels of Biden’s controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, for federal tax and gun-related charges. This decision sparked significant debate and raised questions about whether Biden would issue preemptive pardons for other administration officials, particularly those who may face scrutiny under the potential second term of a Trump administration.
The announcement has been met with both praise and criticism. Civil rights advocates, including Martin Luther King III, have lauded the president’s decision. King, in a statement, remarked that Biden had taken “meaningful and lasting action” not only to acknowledge the death penalty's racist history but also to address its ongoing unfairness. “President Biden has done what no president before him was willing to do,” he stated.
On the other hand, some victims’ families have expressed mixed feelings about the commutations. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by one of the individuals whose death sentence was commuted, shared his perspective. While he acknowledged the pain of losing his partner, Oliverio stated that the execution of the individual responsible for his partner’s death would not have brought him peace. “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said, emphasizing that Biden’s decision aligned with his own faith.
This unprecedented move to commute federal death sentences underscores a broader shift in the national conversation about capital punishment. With Biden’s presidency now drawing to a close, his actions have brought the issue of the death penalty to the forefront of political debate. His administration’s approach contrasts sharply with that of the Trump administration, which has made clear its intent to expand the use of the death penalty in the coming years.
As Biden’s term nears its end, speculation continues to swirl around whether the president will take further action to solidify his stance on capital punishment. His recent visit to Italy, scheduled for next month, is expected to include a meeting with Pope Francis, who has been vocal about his opposition to the death penalty. The Pope’s call for prayers for U.S. death row inmates, hoping for their sentences to be commuted, further highlights the moral and ethical questions surrounding the practice.
In a political climate that often divides opinions on matters of justice, President Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates represents a bold and compassionate stance on criminal justice reform. While the decision may not satisfy all sides of the debate, it undeniably marks a significant moment in the ongoing struggle to redefine the role of the death penalty in America. Biden's actions will likely have lasting repercussions, not only in the political arena but also in the broader conversation about the future of capital punishment in the United States.
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