WASHINGTON: Biden Commutes Majority of Federal Death Sentences

WASHINGTON: Biden Commutes Majority of Federal Death Sentences
AFP Published about an hour ago

In a significant move, US President Joe Biden on Monday commuted the death sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row, just weeks before his term ends and amidst signals that Donald Trump, who is expected to announce his candidacy, may revive federal executions if re-elected.

Three individuals, convicted of terrorism or hate crimes, will remain on federal death row. These include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, responsible for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who murdered nine Black parishioners at a Charleston church in 2015; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 Jewish worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.

Biden, a Democrat, had already imposed a moratorium on the federal death penalty but faced increasing pressure to take permanent action before leaving office on January 20. The commutations come amid speculation that Trump, during a possible second term, might resume executions, a practice he reinstated in 2020 after a 17-year hiatus.

The 37 individuals who had their sentences commuted will now serve life imprisonment without parole. This group includes nine inmates convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four who committed murders during bank robberies, and one who killed a prison guard.

In a statement, Biden addressed the controversial decision, expressing empathy for the victims and their families.

"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 said.
"But guided by my conscience and my experience... I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted."

Trump’s team strongly criticized Biden's decision, calling it “abhorrent.”

"These are among the worst killers in the world, and this abhorrent decision by Joe Biden is a slap in the face to the victims, their families, and their loved ones," said Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung.

Similarly, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned the move, stating it dishonored the memory of those affected by these crimes.

"This decision is a slap in the face to the families who have suffered immeasurably at the hands of these animals," he remarked.

During Trump’s presidency, 13 executions were carried out over a six-month period in 2020 and 2021, marking the most in over 120 years by any US president.

Rights organizations, however, celebrated Biden’s actions. Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), hailed the commutations as a landmark decision.

"President Biden has taken the most consequential step of any president in our history to address the immoral and unconstitutional harms of capital punishment."

Prominent civil rights activist Martin Luther King III also commended the decision, describing it as a “historic day” for justice in America.

The three remaining inmates who retain their federal death sentences represent some of the most high-profile cases in recent history, all involving heinous acts of terrorism or hate-fueled violence.

Biden has long opposed the death penalty and had campaigned for the presidency on a platform that included ending federal executions. In contrast, Trump has repeatedly called for expanding capital punishment, even suggesting it be used against drug traffickers, human traffickers, and migrants who commit violent crimes.

In the United States, most executions are carried out at the state level. However, the federal government reserves the authority to seek the death penalty in specific cases, including terrorism and the murder of judicial officials. The last federal execution occurred on January 16, 2021, just days before Trump left office.

As of now, 23 of the 50 US states have abolished the death penalty, and six others have moratoriums in place. In 2024 alone, 25 state-level executions were recorded in the US, reflecting a divided national stance on capital punishment.

Globally, the trend toward abolition continues to gain momentum, though 2024 saw a rise in executions worldwide, led by countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The United States ranked fifth in the number of executions carried out.

Biden's actions align with a broader tradition of outgoing presidents granting clemency in their final days. Earlier this month, he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people placed on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic, setting a record for the most commutations in a single day. He also pardoned 39 individuals for non-violent offenses.

However, Biden stirred controversy by granting a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, who faced charges related to gun and tax offenses. This decision drew criticism, particularly after Biden had previously vowed not to interfere in his son’s legal troubles.