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Can Biden Use His Clemency Power to Transform Death Row?
Senior, professor of criminal jurisprudence at Northwestern University School of Law
After a flurry of executions in his final months in office,Donald Trump left a grim legacy on federal death row. With dozens of death row executions, Trump oversaw the most federal executions in over 130 years. Now, President Biden faces a deeply challenging question: how to address this spectre of capital punishment looming over his presidency?
The Complicated Inheritance
The Trump administration’s blatant disregard for the growing national sentiment against the death penalty has left a profound impact. Advocates for criminal justice reform, along with civil rights groups, have consistently called on President Biden to completely halt federal executions. They argue that the death penalty is inherently flawed, racist, and inhumane.
Biden has stated his opposition to the federal death penalty. While he pledged to not carry out any executions during his presidency, he hasn’t yet addressed the fate of those currently awaiting execution. Numerous clemency requests filed on behalf of death row inmates remain unanswered.
A Precedent for Action
With the
precedent of recent federal executions, the pressure on Biden to act is significant. “There are people who deserve to have their lives spared,”deployed
said, echoing the sentiment of many.
commutation of all federal death sentences at a time when”>${*ActionButton*}
Trump was carrying out his “bloodbath,” as some advocacy groups have termed it. Editorials
For Biden to live up to his campaign promises and rectify this injustice, many
believe he must go beyond simply halting execution.
Rethinking Justice
Accepting clemency requests and abandoning the federal death penalty would be a transformative step for the Biden presidency, and for the nation. It sends a powerful message about our values as a country: that we prioritize rehabilitation and second chances over retribution.
For those families who have lost loved ones to acts of violence, the repulsion against the death penalty remains strong, with many believing it does not bring solace. Such a step would undoubtedly face opposition. Some remain staunch believers in the death penalty for the most heinous crimes, claiming it serves as justice for victims and their families. Yet, Biden’s stated goal is not to erase difficult crimes but to address the injustice of the death penalty itself.
The
Everyone deserves
a chance at redemption she argued and Biden needs to prove he’s committed to
What is arguably most pressing is taking concrete action to dismantle and reconstruct our justice system in a way that values humanity and fairness.
The debate surrounding the death penalty is complex, but one thing is
clear: President Biden holds considerable power to alter the course of the federal death system.
Whether or not he chooses to use that power to redirect the path towards a more compassionate and just future remains to be seen.
What are the primary challenges facing President Biden regarding the federal death row?
## Interview with Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME]
**Host:** Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME], thank you for joining us. President Biden has inherited a complicated situation regarding the federal death row. Can you shed some light on the challenges he faces?
**Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME]:** Absolutely. The previous administration dramatically increased the use of capital punishment after a long hiatus, leaving a deeply unsettling legacy. President Biden has campaigned on ending federal executions and that puts him in a difficult position. While he’s stated his opposition to the death penalty, he hasn’t taken concrete steps regarding those already sentenced to death.
**Host:** Advocates for criminal justice reform are calling for Biden to commute the sentences of those on death row. Is that a realistic possibility?
**Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME]:** It’s certainly within the President’s power. Using the clemency power to commute death sentences is a tool presidents have used in the past. The question is whether President Biden is willing to use it on such a large scale.
**Host:** What do you think will ultimately determine President Biden’s actions?
**Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME]:** A combination of factors will likely play a role: public pressure, political considerations, and his own personal convictions. Groups opposed to the death penalty will continue to push for commutations, and public opinion is shifting against capital punishment. The question remains whether President Biden will prioritize this issue and live up to his campaign promises.
**Host:** Professor [GRANTED LAST NAME], thank you for your insights. We appreciate your time.
[[1](https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-grant-clemency-robert-hunter-biden)]
**Note:** The example interview provided doesn’t discuss the example clemency grant for Robert Hunter Biden. While relevant to the general topic of presidential clemency, the interview focuses on the broader question of addressing the death penalty.
