Biden’s Last-Minute Clemency Shocks Nation: 37 Death Row Inmates Spared
A controversial parting shot sets the stage for criminal justice clashes under Trump’s administration.
In a move that stunned both allies and critics, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates in the final days of his presidency. The sweeping decision, framed as a moral stand against capital punishment, drew sharp backlash from Republicans and victims’ families alike. Biden’s order leaves just three inmates untouched, including Dylann Roof and the Boston Marathon bomber, setting the stage for an intense legal and political battle once Donald Trump takes office.
A Polarizing Act of Clemency
Biden’s commutations come as no surprise to those familiar with his administration’s moratorium on federal executions. However, the scale and timing of this decision have set off a firestorm.
• The Numbers: Out of 40 inmates on federal death row, Biden commuted 37 sentences to life without parole.
• The Exceptions: High-profile inmates like Robert Bowers (Tree of Life Synagogue), Dylann Roof (Charleston Church shooting), and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (Boston Marathon bombing) remain on death row.
Biden defended his actions as a necessary step toward justice reform, stating,
“The federal death penalty is fundamentally flawed, disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, and does not deliver true justice.”
The Fallout
1. Victims’ Families Outraged:
Families of victims have called the decision an affront to justice. For them, life imprisonment doesn’t deliver the same accountability as the death penalty.
“This wasn’t justice. It was betrayal,” said one family member of a victim in a statement.
2. Republican Backlash:
GOP lawmakers, including Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), slammed the move as a political stunt designed to undercut Trump’s expected reinstatement of executions.
3. Progressive Praise:
Activists have hailed Biden’s decision as a historic step forward, with organizations like the ACLU calling it “the boldest federal death penalty reform in decades.”
What Comes Next?
Biden’s commutations all but guarantee a showdown in the early months of Trump’s administration. With Trump vowing to restore the death penalty, the fate of these inmates could once again be thrown into question. Biden’s move isn’t just a reflection of his values—it’s a challenge to his successor.
Biden’s eleventh-hour clemency orders are as polarizing as they are historic. For some, they’re a beacon of progress in a broken justice system. For others, they’re a slap in the face to victims and their families. Either way, this decision ensures that the death penalty will remain one of the most heated debates in America’s political future.