President Joe Biden commutes 37 out of 40 federal death sentences

In a historic move, President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row, signifying a major shift in the administration's stance on the death penalty. This decision, which spares the lives of the majority of those facing federal execution, underscores the President's growing concern over the ethical implications and effectiveness of capital punishment in the United States. While President Biden has expressed his condemnation of the crimes committed by these individuals, he has also made it clear that the use of the death penalty at the federal level "must stop". This action aligns with his broader agenda to reform the criminal justice system and address the profound moral questions that the death penalty raises. It also reflects a growing awareness of the significant racial disparities and the risk of executing innocent people, issues that have long plagued the death penalty system. The decision to commute the death sentences marks a significant pivot from the previous administration, which had resumed federal executions in 2020 after a 17-year hiatus, carrying out 13 executions in its final months. This shift highlights a broader trend in the United States, with public support for the death penalty at a historic low and more states moving to abolish it or halt its use. Critics of the death penalty argue that it has been applied in an arbitrary and biased manner, pointing to cases where race and socioeconomic status appear to have influenced sentencing. They also raise concerns about the humane administration of justice, citing instances of botched executions and the psychological torment of death row inmates as