Biden commutes sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life in prison, blocking executions under Trump

US President Joe Biden announced Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals currently on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Dec 23, 2024, 3:57 PM IST | Last Updated Dec 23, 2024, 3:57 PM IST

In a bold and historic move, US President Joe Biden announced Monday that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals currently on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This action, which spares the lives of individuals convicted of crimes ranging from the killings of police officers to bank robberies and drug deals, comes just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, an ardent supporter of capital punishment, is set to take office on January 20, 2025.

The commuted sentences affect individuals convicted in some of the most high-profile federal cases, including the slayings of police and military officers, murders on federal land, and deadly acts committed during bank robberies or drug operations. Despite the gravity of these crimes, Biden's decision leaves only three federal inmates still facing execution: Dylann Roof, the white supremacist responsible for the 2015 shooting at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people in the 2018 mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue.

In a statement, President Biden explained his decision, emphasizing his commitment to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair justice system. "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.”

Biden’s announcement follows a 2021 moratorium on federal executions implemented by his administration to reassess the protocols used in carrying out the death penalty. The decision to halt executions was in line with Biden’s campaign promise to abolish the federal death penalty, though his pledge stopped short of banning it entirely, leaving exceptions for those convicted of terrorism or mass hate crimes.

While running for president in 2020, Biden’s campaign website committed to working for legislation that would eliminate the death penalty at the federal level and incentivize states to follow suit. However, such language did not appear in his re-election platform in 2024, and Biden has since shifted his rhetoric, emphasizing the need to end federal executions.

Biden’s statement also addressed the victims of the crimes committed by those whose sentences he commuted, acknowledging the pain and loss endured by their families. "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," he said. "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."

Biden criticizes Trump's legacy on federal executions

In a pointed reference to his predecessor, Biden criticized former President Donald Trump, whose administration oversaw the largest number of federal executions in modern US history. "In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," Biden remarked, signaling his opposition to Trump’s strong stance on expanding the death penalty.

Trump, a vocal advocate for capital punishment, has previously called for the death penalty for drug dealers, smugglers, and even those involved in human trafficking. During his presidency, Trump oversaw 13 federal executions, the most by any president in the modern era, including executions conducted during the final months of his administration in late 2020, after the election but before he left office. These executions were part of the first federal executions since 2003 and drew widespread controversy, particularly because they took place during a public health crisis at the federal death row facility in Indiana.

Biden’s commutations also reflect broader pressure from advocacy groups calling for swift action on the death penalty. These organizations have long urged the administration to act in light of Trump’s potential return to office and his continued push for expanding the use of capital punishment.

Timing of Biden's announcement stirs reactions

The timing of Biden's announcement has also sparked discussions surrounding his legacy on criminal justice reform. It follows a significant series of clemency actions earlier this month, including the commutation of roughly 1,500 individuals who had been released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden also recently granted pardons to 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes in one of the largest single-day acts of clemency in modern history.

Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of federal death row inmates is also seen in the context of his upcoming foreign trip to Italy, where he will meet with Pope Francis. The Pope has been an outspoken critic of the death penalty and recently called for prayers for U.S. death row inmates. Biden, a practicing Catholic, has long expressed his opposition to the death penalty, aligning with the Church’s teachings on the sanctity of life.

Martin Luther King III, an advocate for criminal justice reform and the son of the late civil rights leader, praised Biden for his actions, stating, "The president has done what no president before him was willing to do: take meaningful and lasting action not just to acknowledge the death penalty’s racist roots but also to remedy its persistent unfairness."

Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by one of the men whose death sentence was commuted, expressed support for Biden's decision. "The execution of the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace," Oliverio said, adding, "The president has done what is right here, and what is consistent with the faith he and I share."

For more reliable and latest news