Tuesday, December 24, 2024
37 lives and true mercy
Yesterday, President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 men condemned to death in the federal system, leaving only three on death row there. While incomplete, it was a bold gesture-- his boldest exercise of clemency yet. Though I would have preferred that he clear the row, his basis for decision was at least principled: he excluded mass murderers.
Biden has now addressed and mostly fulfilled two of the four clemency goals that Rachel Barkow and I described and advocated for in the New York Times back in September: Death Row, and those our on home confinement under the CARES Act.
That leaves two key groups left: those whose petitions are at the White House with a positive recommendation from the pardon attorney and marijuana prisoners (though there will be overlap between those two groups). It would be wonderful if it all gets done!
