Washington, D.C. — Thirty-seven federal death row inmates will see their sentences converted to life imprisonment without parole, announced President Joe Biden, marking a significant policy shift meant to stymie any future federal executions. This move aligns with Biden’s staunch opposition to the death penalty, contrasted sharply against the previous administration’s revival of federal executions after nearly two decades.
The President’s decision, influenced by his diverse political and legal background including his role as a public defender and Vice President, reflects his deep-seated objections to capital punishment. “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers and ache for the families who have suffered,” Biden remarked in a recent statement. “However, we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. I cannot allow executions to resume under a new administration.”
Notable among those spared is Len Davis, a former New Orleans police officer involved in a drug protection ring who arranged the murder of a woman who filed a police brutality complaint against him. Another inmate, Norris Holder, faced the death penalty for a fatal bank robbery, though doubts exist about whether he fired the killing shot.
Excluded from this clemency are three convicts associated with high-profile hate crimes and terrorist acts, including Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Dylann Roof who murdered nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, and Robert Bowers who killed 11 worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue.
Critics of the federal death penalty argue that the system has historically been fraught with racial bias, wrongful convictions, and a lack of deterrent effect. Approximately 38% of federal death row inmates are Black, and many were sentenced under a 1994 crime bill that Biden himself helped create, which is widely regarded as a driver of mass incarceration, especially among Black men.
During his 2020 campaign, Biden promised to eliminate federal capital punishment, aligning his stance with evolving views on justice reform influenced by studies indicating persistent racial disparities and wrongful convictions. Since taking office, he has implemented a moratorium on federal executions.
Biden’s record on clemency and pardons surpasses that of his immediate predecessors, reflecting a broader strategy to address systemic issues in the criminal justice system. Earlier this month, he granted clemency to about 1,500 individuals, the largest number in a single day, spotlighting successful rehabilitation efforts.
Moreover, Biden has extended his clemency powers to politically sensitive areas, including pardons for individuals convicted of marijuana use and possession, and to former LGBTQ service members dismissed due to their sexual orientation. However, his pardon of his son Hunter, convicted of federal gun and tax felonies, has ignited controversy, testing the limits of presidential pardon powers.
As the end of his term approaches on January 20, Biden’s latest commutation decision underscores a perhaps legacy-defining tilt towards more humanitarian federal policies. This shift not only serves as a safeguard against the potential reinstatement of capital punishment but also as a statement about the administration’s broader commitment to criminal justice reform.