Biden’s Decision Leaves Three Federal Death Row Inmates Unchanged
Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, sparing them from execution but leaving three notorious cases intact.
Biden, Death Row, Federal Executions, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Boston, Justice Reform
Pittsburgh: So, Joe Biden made a big move on Monday. He decided to commute the sentences of nearly everyone on federal death row, which means 37 people are now facing life in prison instead of execution.
It’s kind of a big deal, especially since Biden’s past actions, like that 1994 crime bill, made the death penalty more common. He’s framing this as part of his push for criminal justice reform.
Biden said, “I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.” He’s sticking to a moratorium on federal executions, except for cases involving terrorism and hate crimes.
But here’s the catch: three notorious killers are still on death row. We’re talking about Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018; Dylann Roof, who murdered nine people in a racially motivated attack in South Carolina; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, involved in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Reactions to Biden’s announcement have been mixed. Reverend Sharon Risher, who lost family in the Charleston shooting, has been against the death penalty for a long time. She believes in forgiveness and redemption, even for those who commit terrible acts.
On the flip side, some people think these killers deserve the death penalty. Michael Graham, who lost his sister in the Charleston shooting, feels strongly that Roof’s crime was a hate crime against Black people and should be punished accordingly.
Then there’s Tsarnaev’s case, which has sparked a lot of debate. Some folks are relieved he’s still facing a death sentence, while others, like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, think Biden should have done more to eliminate the death penalty altogether.
Interestingly, while Biden’s administration has put a hold on federal executions, they’ve also been pursuing new death sentences for hate-related crimes. For instance, they sought the death penalty for Sayfullo Saipov, who was involved in a deadly attack in New York.
And it looks like the Biden administration’s influence on capital cases might continue even after he leaves office. There’s a lot going on with military prosecutions related to the 9/11 attacks, and it’s been a complicated process.
So, it’s a mixed bag with Biden’s recent decisions. While he’s made strides in reducing the number of people on death row, the debate over capital punishment is far from over.