In a significant move, President Joe Biden on Monday commuted the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row, converting their punishments from execution to life without the possibility of parole. The decision leaves only three "hard cases" for review before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office on January 20.
In a statement, Biden reaffirmed his opposition to the federal death penalty, stating, "I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level." The president emphasized that the commutations align with his administration's moratorium on federal executions, excluding cases of terrorism and hate-driven mass killings.
Among those whose sentences were commuted are Billie Jerome Allen, sentenced to death in 1998; Carlos David Caro, who has spent over 15 years on death row; and Len Davis, a former New Orleans police officer who has been on death row for over 25 years.
Biden acknowledged the gravity of their crimes, expressing his condolences to victims' families: "Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss."
This action follows Biden’s historic clemency announcements last week, during which he pardoned 39 individuals and commuted nearly 1,500 sentences, focusing on cases tied to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The president has faced mounting pressure to expand his clemency efforts, particularly after granting a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, despite previous insistence he would not do so.
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