In one of his final acts as U.S. president, Joe Biden announced the commutation of the death sentences for 37 of the 40 prisoners convicted of federal crimes. These individuals, found guilty of murders committed between 1993 and 2019, will now serve life sentences without the possibility of parole (LWOPP). This significant move marks a stark contrast to the previous administration's ardent support for the death penalty, particularly under Donald Trump, who aimed to increase federal executions.
The abolitionist movement continues to advocate for clemency for the three inmates whose sentences were not commuted due to the severity of their crimes. Notably, Robert D. Bowers, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Dylann Roof remain on death row, prompting calls for a reconsideration of their sentences. Reverend Sharon Risher, a victim's family member, expressed her disappointment at Biden's decision not to spare Roof, highlighting the ongoing emotional toll on victims' families as they await executions.
Abe Bonowitz, co-director of Death Penalty Action, emphasized the shift in federal death penalty policy, indicating that abolitionists are now turning their attention towards addressing the fates of the four condemned men on military death row. Bonowitz's remarks underline the broader implications of Biden's actions on both federal and military executions, signaling a potential decline in the use of capital punishment as a judicial practice in the United States.
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