Joe Biden has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time by commuting the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates. These aren’t low-level offenders but some of the most dangerous criminals in the nation’s history—murderers of children, police officers, and even entire families. The decision has drawn sharp backlash, and while three inmates were notably excluded from clemency, this selective leniency only highlights the bizarre contradictions in Biden’s approach to justice. For many, it’s a clear signal that protecting violent criminals somehow takes precedence over honoring the victims and their families.
The timing of this move is particularly telling. With Donald Trump set to take office soon, Biden’s commutations seem calculated to preempt Trump’s plans to expand the federal death penalty to include offenses like child trafficking and the killing of law enforcement officers. Biden justified his decision by claiming it aligns with his commitment to reducing violent crime and promoting a more “effective” justice system. However, many critics see this as an empty platitude that does little to address the reality of the gruesome crimes these individuals committed. Sparing a murderer from execution is hardly a comforting thought to the families left behind.
This decision isn’t an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern within Biden’s administration. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s 2021 moratorium on federal executions cited concerns about racial disparities, reflecting the administration’s broader efforts to reshape the justice system. The 37 commutations include a diverse group of individuals, but Biden’s decision to draw the line at cases involving terrorism and hate-motivated mass murders only underscores the inconsistency. On the one hand, he spares killers of innocent children and families; on the other, he makes exceptions for politically sensitive cases to avoid an even greater backlash.
The three spared from clemency include high-profile offenders such as Robert Bowers, responsible for the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting; Dylann Roof, who carried out the Charleston church massacre; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon bomber. While their exclusion from clemency might appear as an attempt to maintain some moral high ground, it does little to justify the leniency shown to other equally heinous criminals. Among those granted mercy were Ricardo Sanchez, Jr., and Daniel Troya, who murdered an entire family, and Kaboni Savage, a drug lord who orchestrated the deaths of 12 people, including six from one family. For many, these decisions blur the line between justice and moral posturing.
Critics argue that Biden’s actions reflect a deeply flawed sense of morality, one that seems to elevate the well-being of violent criminals over the pursuit of justice for their victims. While he frames his decision as rooted in his experience as a public defender and legislator, the message it sends to law-abiding citizens and victims’ families is chilling. Sparing the lives of individuals responsible for unimaginable atrocities undermines the foundational principles of justice and accountability. As Biden exits the political stage, his commutations leave behind a legacy of leniency that will haunt the justice system and the victims for years to come.
