President Joe Biden announced on Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 37 out of the 40 individuals on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment. This decision comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, a strong advocate for expanding capital punishment, takes office.
The move spares the lives of individuals convicted in various killings, including those of police and military officers, crimes committed on federal land, deadly bank robberies, drug deals, and killings within federal facilities. Only three federal inmates remain facing execution, including Dylann Roof, the perpetrator of the 2015 racist massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
President Biden stated, “I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.”
The Biden administration had previously imposed a moratorium on federal capital punishment in 2021 to review the protocols used, suspending executions during Biden's term. Biden had promised during his presidential campaign in 2020 to end federal executions without exceptions for terrorism and hate-motivated mass killings.
President Biden emphasized his condemnation of the murderers and expressed sympathy for the victims and their families. He highlighted his conviction, based on his experience in various roles, that the use of the death penalty at the federal level must cease.
President Trump, who is set to take office on Jan. 20, has been vocal about expanding executions, advocating for harsh penalties for drug-related offenses. During Trump's first term, there were 13 federal executions, the most under any modern president.
Biden's decision to commute the federal death sentences follows recent pressure from advocacy groups and comes shortly after he granted clemency to a significant number of individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes. The announcement also coincided with Biden's post-election pardon of his son Hunter on federal gun and tax charges.
The move to commute federal death sentences was further fueled by speculation surrounding Biden's upcoming visit to Italy to meet with Pope Francis, who has called for prayers for U.S. death row inmates.
Martin Luther King III praised Biden's action, stating that the president has taken meaningful steps to address the racial disparities and unfairness associated with the death penalty. Retired police officer Donnie Oliverio, whose partner was killed by one of the individuals whose sentence was commuted, expressed support for Biden's decision, emphasizing that it aligns with their shared faith.
