Updated Story: Biden Commutes Death Sentences, Trump Reacts

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Updated Story: Biden Commutes Death Sentences, Trump Reacts \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s commutation of 37 federal death row sentences, promising to “vigorously pursue” the death penalty once inaugurated. Biden’s decision sparked mixed reactions, with advocates praising the move and victims’ families expressing anger. Trump’s plans face legal and practical challenges.

Trump Reacts to Biden’s Commutations: Quick Look

Biden’s Action: Commuted 37 of 40 federal death sentences to life imprisonment, leaving three active cases.
Trump’s Promise: Vows to reinstate capital punishment for “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.”
Highlighted Cases: Trump pointed to high-profile crimes by commuted inmates Jorge Avila Torrez and Thomas Steven Sanders.
Advocacy Response: Groups like the ACLU applauded Biden’s move; victims’ families expressed outrage.
Historical Context: Federal death penalty cases are rare compared to state convictions; most Americans remain divided on its use.

Deep Look:

Biden’s Commutations: A Presidential First

On Monday, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, converting them to life imprisonment without parole. The decision was part of Biden’s continued opposition to the death penalty, consistent with his administration’s moratorium on federal executions except in cases of terrorism or hate-motivated mass killings.

Biden’s commutations impacted high-profile cases, such as Jorge Avila Torrez and Thomas Steven Sanders, whose crimes were cited by Trump as examples of why the death penalty should remain in place.

Trump’s Promise: A Return to Capital Punishment

In response, President-elect Donald Trump criticized Biden’s actions, calling them “senseless” and a betrayal of victims’ families. Writing on his social media platform, Trump vowed to direct the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty upon his inauguration.

“When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this,” Trump wrote. “Relatives and friends are further devastated.”

Trump has consistently supported expanding the death penalty. On the campaign trail, he proposed capital punishment for police killers, human traffickers, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. However, legal experts remain skeptical about the feasibility of such sweeping changes under current laws.

Legal Challenges and Historical Context

Rare Use of Federal Death Penalty: Of the approximately 2,000 death row inmates in the U.S., only 40 were under federal jurisdiction before Biden’s commutations. Most capital punishment cases are handled by state courts.
Practical Constraints: Federal laws largely reserve the death penalty for extraordinary crimes, such as terrorism. Efforts to expand its use for crimes like rape or drug trafficking would require significant legal and constitutional hurdles, including potential challenges in the Supreme Court.
Existing Precedent: The Court’s precedent in Kennedy v. Louisiana (2008) prohibits the death penalty for non-homicidal crimes like rape, a ruling Trump’s proposals would seek to overturn.

Douglas Berman, a sentencing law expert, described Trump’s response as largely rhetorical. “It’s more about signaling support for the death penalty rather than outlining a detailed policy plan,” Berman said.

Cases Highlighted by Trump

Trump pointed to two notable cases among the commuted sentences:

Jorge Avila Torrez: Convicted of murdering a Navy sailor in Virginia and linked to the fatal stabbings of two young girls in Chicago.
Thomas Steven Sanders: Sentenced for the kidnapping and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana and the killing of her mother in Arizona.

The commutation of these sentences sparked outrage among some victims’ families, who viewed Biden’s decision as unjust.

Remaining Federal Death Row Cases

Biden’s commutations spared most federal inmates from execution, but three high-profile cases remain:

Dylann Roof: Convicted of the 2015 Charleston church shooting, killing nine Black parishioners.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: The Boston Marathon bomber responsible for killing three and injuring hundreds in 2013.
Robert Bowers: Convicted in the 2018 Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, which killed 11 in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.

These cases highlight Biden’s selective approach to the death penalty, maintaining it for acts of terrorism and hate crimes while commuting other sentences.

Public Sentiment and Political Implications

Public support for the death penalty has declined over the past two decades. While approximately 50% of Americans back capital punishment, down from 70% in 2007, the issue remains divisive. Advocacy groups, including the ACLU and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, praised Biden’s commutations, calling them a step toward justice reform.

Trump, however, has framed the death penalty as a deterrent and a tool for justice, particularly in extreme cases. His rhetoric may resonate with segments of the electorate who view capital punishment as a necessary response to heinous crimes.

What’s Next?

Trump’s pledge to reinstate and expand the federal death penalty faces significant challenges. Overturning existing Supreme Court precedent would take years, while coordinating with states to prosecute capital cases under federal law could require substantial legislative changes.

For Biden, the commutations align with his broader criminal justice agenda, emphasizing rehabilitation and alternatives to harsh punitive measures. As the debate over capital punishment continues, the political and moral dimensions of the issue remain at the forefront of American discourse.