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President Biden’s recent move to mitigate penalties of 37 of the 40 federal inmates on death row has drawn praise from some and criticism from others, who say it’s unclear why the president made the decision in the first place.
The president announced Monday that 37 federal death row inmates would be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and the White House said in a statement that Biden believes “America must end the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and mass murders motivated by hatred.”
“When President Biden took office, his administration imposed a moratorium on federal executions, and his actions today will prevent the next administration from carrying out executions that would not have been imposed under current policy and practice,” the White House said.
The three death row inmates who did not meet Biden’s commutation requirements are: Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life synagogue shooter who killed 11 people in 2018; Dylann Roof, the white racist who killed nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his now-dead 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, the white racist who killed nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his now-dead 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 Crime Prevention Research Center and former chief economist of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Washington, told Fox News Digital that Biden’s rationale for the decision to commute the death penalty was for 37 federal inmates on death row, not all 40 remains unclear.
“There were some the mass murderers he replaced sentence for, and yet there are others who killed less that he didn’t commute,” Lott said. “When I read his statement, I wasn’t clear what his reasoning was for dividing the cases the way he did.”
“If he thinks the death penalty is wrong, it’s not really clear where the line is drawn.”
Lott added that the president “could just be playing to his base” in his decision to commute the 37 sentences, but noted that the victims’ families shared statements expressing how their loved ones were shown no mercy by those who are now receiving life sentences instead of death.
BIDEN FACES RAGE OVER COMMENDING DEATH SENTENCES FOR MURDERERS: ‘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 those victims … have pointed out that a number of these killers have shown no remorse for their crimes,” Lott added. “They engaged in brutal rape and torture. They killed a large number of people in very gruesome ways.”
Criminal justice reform advocates praised the move.
BIDEN REDUCES THE SENTENCES OF 37 PRISONERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN THE LAST MONTH OF THE PRESIDENCY
Matthew Mangino, of counsel at Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly and George and author of “The Executioner’s Toll,” told Fox News Digital that he believes Biden’s bans strengthen the case for the death penalty.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden arrived in St. Joseph at Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (Ben Curtis)
“In a strange way, President Biden’s bold use of the pardon power to prevent the systematic execution of federal death row inmates strengthens the case for the death penalty,” Mangino said. “He left three men on death row to face certain death.”
“Although Biden has generally shown his disdain for the death penalty, he believes — and his actions prove it — that there should be a death penalty for some.”
Women United in Faith, the largest denominational women’s organization, called on Biden to commute the sentences of all 40 federal death row inmates, saying their organization understands how “the criminal justice system unfairly and disproportionately targets people of color,” in a press release. before Biden’s decision on Monday.
After the president commuted 37 sentences, Emily Jones, executive director of racial justice at United Women of Faith, hailed the move as “very exciting — a true Advent blessing!” in a statement to Fox News Digital.
President Joe Biden speaks to reporters after voting early in the 2024 general election, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at a polling place in New Castle, Del. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Cenet)
Lott, however, said the death penalty often encourages criminals to plead guilty to their crimes to avoid death, allowing governments to avoid expensive and emotionally taxing death penalty trials. Dylann Roof — one of three federal inmates Biden decided to keep on death row — initially expressed interest in pleading guilty in his federal case to avoid the death penalty, Lott noted.
“Economists have studied this extensively and found that, on average, for every execution that occurs, you’ll see between eight and eighteen homicides decrease,” Lott said. “It is obviously related to the fact that [the death penalty] deters these guys.”
Convicted murderers who will now avoid execution are: Marcivicci Barnette, who killed a man in a carjacking and his ex-girlfriend; co-defendants Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, 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 drug-related murder; David Runyon, who participated in a conspiracy to murder a naval officer for hire; Thomas Sanders, who kidnapped and killed a 12-year-old girl; Rejon Taylor, who carjacked, kidnapped and killed a restaurant owner; and Alejandro Umana, who killed two brothers in a restaurant.
Kamala Harris is currently the Vice President of the United States for the Biden-Harris administration. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The list also includes persons convicted of witness murder, military service members, bank guards and employees during robberies, and other federal prisoners; as well as people convicted of drug-related murders and one man who masterminded the murders 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 who had been placed under house arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic and pardoned 40 others, including his son Hunter.
As of Dec. 13, Biden has pardoned a total of 65 people and commuted the sentences of 1,634 inmates during his time as president, according to the Justice Department.
Elizabeth Pritchett of Fox News contributed to this report.
