USA Biden commutes 37 death sentences to prison terms
Shortly before the end of his term of office, US President Joe Biden commutes the death sentences of dozens of people to life imprisonment without parole. The White House published the names of the 37 people convicted under federal law, about whom Biden, an avowed opponent of the death penalty, said: "Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, mourn the victims of their despicable acts, and grieve with all the families who have suffered an unimaginable and final loss."
23.12.2024, 14:33
SDA
The 82-year-old Democrat justified his decision by citing his conscience and his experience as a public defender and politician.
Moratorium likely to end under Trump
"I am more convinced than ever that we must end the use of the death penalty at federal level," emphasized Biden. Under his aegis, a moratorium on executions at federal level has been in place since July 2021.
The president cannot pardon death row inmates sentenced in the states. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there are currently more than 2,000 people on death row in US prisons. Biden has explicitly excluded three of the 40 federal death row inmates from having their sentences commuted - namely those convicted of terrorism or hate-motivated mass murders, including Boston Marathon bombing survivor Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
"I cannot stand idly by while a new administration resumes executions that I suspended," said Biden. His successor Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20, is a staunch supporter of the death penalty. It is assumed that the Republican will end Biden's moratorium. During the election campaign, Trump spoke out in favor of executing migrants who have killed US citizens or police officers, among other things. In the last seven months of his first term in office, Trump carried out 13 executions at federal level - more than any US president in decades.
Attitude towards the death penalty is changing
The death penalty is still permitted in the USA at federal level, in the military and in 27 states, but is no longer carried out de facto everywhere. Although most Americans still support the death penalty for murderers, their narrow majority on this issue is steadily shrinking.
Advances in forensic science and revelations of miscarriages of justice are calling into question the presumed guilt of previously executed convicts. At the same time, discrimination in the criminal justice system is criticized - as studies show that the death penalty is more likely to be imposed if the victims are white. In addition, blacks often receive harsher sentences than whites for similar crimes. The quality of legal representation also plays a decisive role and often leads to inequalities.
Major pardon campaign before the farewell
Just over a week ago, Biden had already reduced the prison sentences of almost 1,500 people at federal level and pardoned 39 others - a tradition followed by many US presidents at the end of their term of office. The pardon of his son Hunter Biden at the beginning of December caused a particular stir. The 54-year-old had admitted to tax offenses and had also been found guilty of gun law violations.
