Mon Dec 23 15:16:43 UTC 2024: ## Biden Commutes Sentences of 37 on Federal Death Row
**Washington, D.C.** – President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row, just weeks before leaving office. The move, announced Monday, replaces their death sentences with life imprisonment. Three inmates convicted of terrorism or hate crimes – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing), Dylann Roof (Charleston church shooting), and Robert Bowers (Tree of Life synagogue shooting) – will remain on death row.
Biden stated that while he condemns the murderers and grieves for the victims, his conscience and experience lead him to believe the federal death penalty should end. He cited his history as a public defender and his opposition to capital punishment as driving forces behind the decision. This action follows a moratorium on federal executions imposed by his administration.
Among those whose sentences were commuted are individuals convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, those involved in murders during bank robberies, and one who killed a prison guard. The commutation of Billie Jerome Allen’s sentence, a case marked by concerns about racial bias and lack of evidence, also drew attention.
The announcement was lauded by Amnesty International USA, who praised Biden’s step towards his campaign promise to end the federal death penalty, but urged him to go further. The organization noted the decision as a significant moment for human rights. The death penalty remains a divisive issue in the US, with 23 states having abolished it and six others having moratoriums in place. Despite Biden’s action, 25 executions were carried out at the state level in 2024. President-elect Trump, who oversaw 13 federal executions during his previous term, advocated for the death penalty for undocumented migrants who kill US citizens.
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