Mon Dec 23 16:20:40 UTC 2024: ## Biden Commutes Sentences of 37 Federal Death Row Inmates
**Washington, D.C. –** In a dramatic pre-inaugural move, President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without parole. The announcement, made on December 23rd, 2024, comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
Among those spared execution are individuals convicted of killing police officers, military personnel, and those involved in violent crimes on federal land. The decision leaves only three inmates – Dylann Roof (Charleston church shooting), Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing), and Robert Bowers (Pittsburgh synagogue shooting) – facing execution.
Biden justified his action, stating it aligns with his administration’s moratorium on federal executions and his long-held belief that the death penalty should be abolished at the federal level. He emphasized his commitment to reducing violent crime while ensuring a fair justice system, but stressed that commuting the sentences did not diminish his condemnation of the convicts’ actions or lessen his sympathy for the victims’ families.
The move drew immediate criticism from President-elect Trump, a vocal supporter of expanding capital punishment. Trump’s first term saw a record number of federal executions, exceeding those under any modern president. Biden’s decision was also interpreted by some as a preemptive measure against a potential surge in federal executions under the incoming Trump administration.
The commutation comes amidst other controversial clemency actions by Biden, including a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, and the release of thousands of prisoners from home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. While praised by some, including civil rights activist Martin Luther King III, the decision has generated significant political debate and fueled speculation about further preemptive pardons. The President’s decision was also influenced by a recent meeting with Pope Francis who called for prayers on behalf of the death row inmates. However, some families of victims have expressed their strong disapproval.
The announcement leaves only three individuals on federal death row, highlighting a significant shift in federal capital punishment policy under the Biden administration.
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