A man from South Carolina The convict of the brutal double murder of two bank employees in 2017 is pleading for “compassionate release” days after President Biden saved his life and commuted his death sentence.
Brandon Council, 28, was convicted in September 2019 of the double murder of Conway Bank employees Katie Skeen, 36, and Donna Major, 59, in 2017. Council was then sentenced to death in federal court one month later.
Council was one of 37 federal death row inmates whose sentences were commuted by Biden to life in prison.
On Friday, the board filed a motion with the U.S. District Court in Florence arguing that he deserves “compassionate release” because he suffered “severe, unnecessary and unjustified psychological harm” that “can only be accurately interpreted and understood as a crime.” An act of torture,” as he was placed in solitary confinement permanently since November 4, 2019. According to records obtained by WBTW.
Brandon Council is one of 37 federal death row inmates who escaped execution following President Biden's decision to commute their sentences. (DeathPenaltyInfo.org)
Compassionate release is described as American Bar Association As the process by which incarcerated persons may seek early release, either to community supervision or to their communities, due to exceptional or compelling circumstances.
Several people publicly disagreed with Biden's decision to commute death sentences, including Rep. Russell Frey, D-Rep., who said the decision was “shameful.”
“Biden's move to pardon 37 federal death row inmates — including 3 South Carolina men who committed unspeakable acts — continues to shock Americans across the country. This decision is shameful. It is time to return America to a country of law and order.” he wrote in a post on X.
Frey added in another post following the announcement that Biden's decision “disgraces the memories of victims nationwide.”
“Joe Biden's pardon of death row inmates distorts the memories of victims across the country, like Conway's Donna Major and Green Sea's Katie Skeen,” Frey wrote. “This shows a shocking disregard for the pain of innocent families, right on Christmas. “January 20 is coming soon enough.” In his article on X.
Rep. Dan Moiser, Republican of Pennsylvania, echoed Frey's sentiments and called Biden's actions “senseless.”
“President Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates is not only senseless, it is an egregious example of this administration’s upside-down and backwards ideology,” Meuser wrote in a post on his X account.
During an interview with “Fox and friends” Major's family said they were outraged after Biden commuted her killer's death sentence just days before Christmas.
“I was angry, and I'm still angry. I'm upset that this happened, that one man could make this decision without even talking to the victims, without any consideration of what we went through, and what we will face.” “I felt so hurt and frustrated and angry,” Major's daughter Heather Turner said during the Christmas Eve interview.
Donna Major, 59, and Katherine (Katie) Skeen, 36, were murdered in cold blood by a Brandon council robber during a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017. (Derek Shoemake)
“He showed her absolutely no mercy. This man walked into the bank, never said a word to her. He shot her three times. He went and shot her co-worker, Katie Skeen as well, who was completely defenseless and unaware of anything.” “It happens,” Major's husband, Danny Jenkins, added during the show.
“I can't even believe this is actually happening…”
Council spent a week at a hotel across from CresCom Bank in Conway, South Carolina, where he watched the movie “Get Rich or Die Trying” before he walked in with a gun and killed both Knife and Major.
Council already had a prior criminal conviction at the time and told an FBI agent that he went to the bank knowing he would do so Someone was killed during a robbery.
He had been on parole for a month at the time of the murders, which came during his second bank robbery since his release from prison.
President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end Biden-Harris administration A moratorium on federal executions upon his return to office.
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Christmas Day to ask Biden for a commutation.
“They know their only chance of survival is to get a pardon from a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing,” Trump's post said.
“Also, to the 37 most violent criminals who killed, raped and looted like almost never before, but have just, incredibly, received a pardon from Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky 'souls'. But instead… That, he would say, go to hell! Follow Trump.
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The U.S. government has executed 50 prisoners since 1927, according to the Bureau of Prisons, including Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, and Cold War spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. This is far fewer than individual countries, which have executed more than 1,500 convicted prisoners in the past 50 years.
The government carried out death sentences on 13 federal prisoners During Trump's first term, The most under any president in a century.
Michael Ruiz and Taylor Penley of Fox News Digital and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stephenie Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Tips and story ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
