Washington DC [US], December 24 (ANI): United States President Joe Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Their sentences will now be changed from execution to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
The White House in a release on Monday said, “Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.”
After commuting the sentences, Biden asserted that the commutations are consistent with the moratorium his administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
In a statement, Biden said, “I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system. Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole. These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.”
He further said that he condemns the murderers but added that the death penalty should be stopped at the federal level.
Biden said, “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss. But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”
Eric Schmitt, United States Senator for Missouri, slammed Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal inmates.
In a post on X on Tuesday, he wrote, “Today, Joe Biden commuted the death penalty sentences to 37 individuals, giving them life in prison instead. It is worth noting that 9 of these men have murdered people while in jail. Biden’s decision is a slap in the face to the victims and to the families of the victims that thought justice was going to be served.”
Earlier this month, Biden had announced clemency for approximately 1,500 Americans – the most ever in a single day – “who have shown successful rehabilitation and a commitment to making communities safer,” the White House said.
This included sentence commutations for nearly 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, as well as 39 pardons for individuals who were convicted of non-violent crimes. (ANI)
