Joe Biden announced on Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates, changing their punishment to life imprisonment without parole. This decision comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, a vocal supporter of capital punishment, takes office.
The commutations spare individuals convicted of crimes such as killing police officers, military personnel, and civilians during bank robberies, drug deals, or federal prison incidents.
Three federal inmates remain on death row: Dylann Roof, responsible for the 2015 Charleston church massacre; Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; and Robert Bowers, who killed 11 worshippers in the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
In his statement, Biden emphasized his commitment to a fair justice system, citing his administration’s moratorium on federal executions, except in cases involving terrorism or hate-motivated mass killings.
While Biden previously pledged to end federal executions entirely, this move aligns with his stance on reducing the use of the death penalty.
Advocates, including Martin Luther King III and Bianca Jagger, praised the decision as a significant step toward addressing the death penalty’s racial biases and moral concerns. Critics, however, pointed to the contrast with Biden’s recent pardon of his son Hunter, raising questions about his broader clemency strategy.
Biden’s announcement follows other notable acts of clemency, including commuting sentences for over 1,500 individuals during the pandemic and granting leniency to 39 nonviolent offenders.
As Biden prepares to leave office, speculation about his legacy grows, with many viewing these decisions as a reflection of his Catholic faith and commitment to criminal justice reform.
