President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, reducing their penalties to life imprisonment without parole. This decision follows his recent record-breaking clemency grants, described as the largest single-day effort in American history.
According to DeathPenaltyInfo.org, 40 individuals are currently on federal death row. Biden excluded three from this commutation: Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people in the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting; Dylann Roof, responsible for the 2015 racially motivated massacre of nine Black parishioners in Charleston, South Carolina; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who orchestrated the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, killing three and injuring hundreds.
The 37 inmates whose sentences were commuted were convicted of heinous crimes, including murder, kidnapping, and drug-related killings. Their victims included law enforcement officers, children, and federal witnesses.
Among those resentenced:
- Marcivicci Barnette: Convicted of killing a man during a carjacking and his ex-girlfriend.
- Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks: Escaped prisoners who kidnapped and killed a woman.
- Anthony Battle: Murdered a prison guard.
- Thomas Sanders: Kidnapped and killed a 12-year-old girl.
- Rejon Taylor: Carjacked, kidnapped, and killed a restaurant owner.
Other cases include individuals involved in deadly bank robberies, such as Brandon Council, who killed two bank employees, and Billie Allen and Norris Holder, who killed a bank guard during a heist.
Since taking office in 2021, Biden has declared a moratorium on federal executions. He has expressed his opposition to the death penalty except in cases of “terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.” The commutations aim to prevent a potential future administration from resuming executions halted under his leadership.
Biden’s statement emphasized the need for justice while condemning the acts of those affected by this decision:
“I grieve for the victims and their families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss. However, I cannot stand by and allow a new administration to resume executions that I halted.”
Biden’s actions have drawn both praise and criticism. Advocates, including former corrections officials and the Equal Justice Initiative, lauded the move as a significant step toward reevaluating the death penalty’s role in America.
Justin Jones, former Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, remarked:
“President Biden’s courageous decision benefits many within the federal Bureau of Prisons. It reallocates resources more rationally and spares staff from the trauma of participating in executions.”
Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, called it a “turning point” and commended Biden for sending a strong message about justice reform.
Biden has granted clemency at a rate unprecedented in modern history, issuing 65 pardons and 1,634 sentence commutations as of December 2024.
This decision follows his recent commutation of sentences for nearly 1,500 inmates placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a controversial pardon of his son, Hunter Biden.
As Biden’s presidency winds down, the White House confirmed he plans to review additional clemency cases to “provide meaningful second chances.”