US President Joe Biden Photo: Leah Millis, Reuters
On Monday, US President Joe Biden announced that the death sentences of 37 convicts would be commuted to life without parole. The decision comes less than a month before Donald Trump, a politician known for his support of the death penalty, is expected to return to the White House, AFP and Reuters report.
Solution details
The change in sentences applies to people convicted by federal courts that operate independently of the judicial system of individual states. Biden explained that the decision was in line with the May 2021 moratorium on federal executions, except in cases of terrorism or hate crimes.
“I will change the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on death row in the federal court to life imprisonment without parole,” the president said in a statement.
Background.
In early December, more than 130 human rights organisations, including the ACLU and Amnesty International, reminded Biden of his 2020 campaign promise to oppose the death penalty. These organisations expressed concern that executions could be reinstated in the event of a change of administration.
Biden’s decision was part of a broader humanitarian initiative: earlier this month, he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people convicted of non-violent crimes and pardoned 39 people.
Pardoning his son
Among other decisions, Biden also granted a full pardon to his son Hunter Biden, who pleaded guilty to tax violations and firearms-related crimes. The president had previously stated that he did not plan to pardon his son, but eventually made the decision.
Biden’s decision is of particular interest in light of Donald Trump’s likely return to the presidency. Trump is known for his tough stance on the death penalty: during his term, 13 people were executed as part of federal sentences – the largest number in more than a century.
Biden’s new actions could be a key element of his legacy as a president trying to reform the US justice system.
