President Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, effectively changing their punishment to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This significant action, announced just two weeks after the largest single-day clemency grant in American history, leaves only three inmates on federal death row: Robert Bowers, Dylann Roof, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, all convicted of heinous hate-motivated or terrorist attacks. The commuted sentences encompass a range of individuals convicted of murder, including those responsible for the deaths of law enforcement officers, children, and fellow inmates. The crimes committed by these individuals vary, from carjackings and drug-related killings to the murder of witnesses in federal investigations. This commutation reflects Biden’s stated position supporting the death penalty only in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder at the federal level, a stance that differs from his predecessor’s.
The individuals whose death sentences have been commuted include Marcivicci Barnette, responsible for a carjacking murder and the killing of his ex-girlfriend; Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who escaped prison and committed a kidnapping and murder; Anthony Battle, convicted of killing a prison guard; and Jason Brown, who stabbed a postal worker to death. The list also includes Thomas Hager, involved in a drug-related killing; David Runyon, implicated in a murder-for-hire plot targeting a Naval officer; Thomas Sanders, who kidnapped and murdered a 12-year-old girl; Rejon Taylor, responsible for a carjacking, kidnapping, and murder of a restaurant owner; and Alejandro Umana, who killed two brothers inside a restaurant. These cases represent a fraction of the diverse range of crimes committed by those granted clemency.
Among the commuted cases are individuals convicted of murdering witnesses in federal investigations: Len Davis, a police officer who orchestrated the murder of a witness involved in a misconduct complaint against him, and Ronald Mikos, who killed a grand jury witness tied to a Medicare fraud case. Former Marine Jorge Torrez, sentenced to death for killing a fellow servicemember, also received clemency. Several individuals involved in deadly bank robberies, including Billie Allen and Norris Holder, responsible for the death of a bank guard; Brandon Council, who killed two bank employees; and Daryl Lawrence, who killed a special-duty police officer during an attempted robbery, are also among those granted commutation.
The commutations also extended to individuals involved in drug-related crimes. James Roane Jr., Richard Tipton, and Corey Johnson, who was executed in 2021, were gang members convicted of a series of drug-related murders. Julius Robinson was responsible for two drug-related killings, as were Ricardo Sanchez Jr. and Daniel Troya, who murdered a family, including two children. Notorious drug lord Kaboni Savage, who orchestrated or directly committed the murders of 12 individuals over a 16-year period, including an arson attack that killed six family members of a federal informant, also received clemency.
Further cases include Edward Fields, sentenced to death for murdering two campers on federal land, while Marvin Gabrion and Richard Jackson were convicted of separate killings of women on federal land. Jurijus Kadamovas and Iouri Mikhel were sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of five immigrants for ransom. Finally, several inmates received commutations for the murders of fellow prisoners within the federal prison system, including Shannon Agofsky, Carlos Caro, Wesley Coonce and Charles Hall, Christopher Cramer and Ricky Fackrell, Joseph Ebron, Edgar Garcia, and Mark Snarr.
This wave of commutations marks another instance of President Biden’s extensive use of clemency powers, a practice that has consistently exceeded the rates of recent predecessors. The move comes on the heels of significant criticism following his commutation of sentences for nearly 1,500 prisoners under home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the pardoning of 40 individuals, including his son, Hunter Biden. Despite the controversy, various groups, including former corrections officials, have lauded the president’s decision regarding the death row inmates, highlighting the potential for improved resource allocation within the Bureau of Prisons and emphasizing the ethical considerations surrounding correctional staff participation in executions. Biden has stated his intent to continue reviewing additional pardons and commutations during his remaining time in office. He acknowledges the gravity of the crimes committed by those granted clemency, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families, while simultaneously reaffirming his opposition to resuming federal executions.
