Wed Dec 25 01:24:23 UTC 2024: ## Trump Vows to Vigorously Pursue Capital Punishment After Biden’s Commutation

**FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (December 25, 2024)** — President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to aggressively pursue the death penalty after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row. Biden’s action, announced on December 23, 2024, changed the sentences to life imprisonment without parole, citing a moratorium on federal executions except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.

Trump vehemently criticized Biden’s decision, calling it “senseless” and insensitive to victims’ families. He vowed to direct the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty in cases involving “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters” immediately upon his inauguration. While Trump has long advocated for expanding the federal death penalty, legal experts question the practicality of his plans given existing laws.

Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school, suggested Trump’s statement is primarily a reaction to Biden’s actions, describing it as largely rhetorical. While public support for the death penalty has historically been high in the U.S., it has declined in recent decades.

Trump highlighted the cases of two men whose sentences were commuted: Jorge Avila Torrez, convicted of killing a sailor and two young girls; and Thomas Steven Sanders, convicted of kidnapping and murdering a 12-year-old girl. Biden left three inmates facing execution: Dylann Roof, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers, all convicted of mass murder in high-profile cases.

While the vast majority of death penalty cases are handled at the state level, Trump’s administration might attempt to take over state cases or those from states that have abolished capital punishment. His actions, along with recent state-level moves, may also aim to prompt the Supreme Court to reconsider precedents regarding the death penalty. However, any such legal challenges are expected to be lengthy and complex.

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