President Biden's latest step to Reducing sentences The 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row have been met with praise by some and criticism by others, who say it is unclear why the president made the decision in the first place.
The president announced Monday that the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates will be changed to life in prison without the possibility of parole, with the White House saying in a statement that Biden believes “America must stop using the death penalty in the courts.” Federal level, except in cases of terrorism and mass killings motivated by hate.”
“when President Biden “When he took office, his administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next administration from carrying out death sentences that would not be issued under current policy and practice,” the White House said.
The three death row inmates who did not meet Biden's requirements to commute their sentences are: Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter who killed 11 people in 2018; Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who killed nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his deceased brother to carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds.
Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter who killed 11 people in 2018; Dylann Roof, a white supremacist who killed nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his deceased brother to carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds. (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, from left, Charleston County Sheriff's Office, FBI via AP)
John R. Lott Jr., president of the Center for Crime Prevention Research and former chief economist for the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Washington, told Fox News Digital that Biden's rationale for deciding to commute the death sentences of 37 federal inmates on death row rather than all 40 remains… Not clear.
“He was there The mass murderers he mitigated “The punishment, however, there are other people who killed fewer people and the punishment was not commuted,” Lott said. “When I read his statement, it was not clear to me what the rationale was for dividing the cases the way he did.”
“If he believes the death penalty is wrong, it is not clear exactly where the line is drawn.”
Lott added that the president “may be manipulating his electoral base” in his decision to commute 37 sentences, but noted that The families of the victims shared their statements Expressing the lack of mercy for their loved ones at the hands of those who now receive life sentences instead of death.
Biden faces fury over commutation of death sentences for killers: 'This is absolutely crazy'
US President Joe Biden speaks on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Brandon Bell)
“Many of the families of these victims have indicated… that a number of these killers showed no remorse for their crimes,” Lott added. “They engaged in brutal rape and torture. They killed a number of people in very horrific ways.”
Criminal justice reform advocates praised the move.
Biden commutes the sentences of 37 inmates on death row in the final month of his presidency
Matthew Mangino, of consultants at Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly & George and author of “The Executioner's Toll,” told Fox News Digital that he believes Biden's commutations strengthen the case in favor of the death penalty.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrive at St. Joseph's Basilica at Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. (Ben Curtis)
“In a strange way, President Biden’s bold use of the clemency power to prevent the systematic execution of federal inmates on death row strengthens the case for the death penalty,” Mangino said. “Three men were left on death row to face certain death.”
“While Biden has generally revealed his disdain for the death penalty, he believes — and his actions prove it — that there should be the death penalty for some.”
Women United in Faith, the largest denominational organization for women, called on Biden to commute the sentences of all 40 federal inmates on death row, saying their organization understands how the criminal justice system “unjustly and unequally targets people of color” in a press release . Before Biden's decision on Monday.
After the president commuted 37 sentences, Emily Jones, executive director for racial justice at United Women in Faith, praised the move as “so exciting — a true blessing for Advent!” In a statement to Fox News Digital.
President Joe Biden speaks with reporters after casting his early ballot in the 2024 general election, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at a polling place in New Castle, Delaware. (AP Photo/Manuel Bals Sinita)
However, Lott said death sentences often inspire criminals to plead guilty to their crimes in order to avoid death, thus allowing governments to avoid costly and emotionally exhausting death penalty trials. Lott noted that Dylann Roof — one of the three federal prisoners Biden decided to keep on death row — initially expressed interest in pleading guilty in his federal case to avoid the death penalty.
“Economists have looked at this extensively and found that on average, for every execution that is carried out, you will see a reduction in the number of homicides by between eight and eighteen,” Lott said. “This is obviously related to the fact that (the death penalty) is a deterrent to these people.”
The convicted killers who will now escape execution are: Marcevici Barnett, who killed a man in a carjacking and his ex-girlfriend; Co-defendants Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fowlkes, who kidnapped and killed a woman after escaping from prison; Anthony Battle, who killed a prison guard; Jason Brown, who stabbed a postal worker to death; Thomas Hager, who committed a drug-related murder; David Runyon, who participated in a plot to murder a naval officer for hire; Thomas Sanders, who kidnapped and murdered a 12-year-old girl; Rejon Taylor, who stole a car and kidnapped and killed a restaurant owner; And Alejandro Umana, who killed two brothers inside a restaurant.
Kamala Harris is currently the Vice President of the United States in the Biden-Harris administration. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Martin)
The list also includes people convicted of killing witnesses, a military service member, bank guards and employees during robberies, and other federal prisoners; In addition to people convicted of drug-related murders and one man who oversaw the killings of 12 people, including six family members of a federal informant.
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Biden faced criticism earlier this month when he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 inmates placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardoned 40 others. Including his son Hunter.
As of December 13, Biden had pardoned a total of 65 individuals and commuted the sentences of 1,634 prisoners during his presidency, according to the Department of Justice.
Fox News' Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
