President Joe Biden faces increasing calls from anti-death penalty advocates to commute the sentences of all federal death row inmates, including high-profile figures such as Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof. Advocates argue that these commutations would align with Biden’s campaign promises to end the federal death penalty and set a precedent for future administrations.
During his 2020 campaign, Biden committed to eliminating the federal death penalty and expressed intentions to incentivize states to move away from capital punishment. Since then, the Biden administration has sent mixed signals on the issue. Attorney General Merrick Garland imposed a moratorium on federal executions shortly after Biden took office, temporarily pausing them. Despite this halt, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has continued to defend existing capital cases, including the cases of Tsarnaev and Roof. In March 2022, the Supreme Court reinstated Tsarnaev’s death sentence after a federal appeals court overturned it over jury selection issues. Roof’s death sentence has also been upheld despite multiple appeals.
Advocates insist that Biden should take immediate, permanent action by commuting the sentences of approximately 40 federal death row inmates. Supporters argue that commuting these sentences would prevent future administrations from restarting executions, as occurred under President Donald Trump, who oversaw 13 federal executions after a 17-year hiatus. Proponents say this move would cement Biden’s legacy as a reformer and protect lives by eliminating the possibility of future federal executions.
The issue of capital punishment remains divisive. Some victims’ families express strong support for the death penalty, particularly for those convicted of mass murder, while others favor life imprisonment without parole, citing moral or religious convictions. With Biden’s term approaching critical junctures on key policies, his decision on federal capital punishment could shape the nation’s approach to justice for years to come.
