At the end of every presidency, the leader drops pardons and commutations, but former federal judges are begging President Joe Biden to make a strong statement by moving death row inmates scheduled for execution to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Legal reporter Chris Geidner posted the letter to Biden is signed by 24 former federal judges, as well as former appeals court judges.
Among the names Geidner pointed out are David Tatel (D.C. Cir.) and Diane Wood (7th Cir.), “both of whom left the bench earlier this year,” he said.
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On Monday, Geidner also shared a letter from the families of murder victims who also agree that death row should be cleared.
“While we may have different views on various issues related to the death penalty, we are united in our view that it is appropriate and important for you to commute all federal death sentences to life in prison without parole,” the letter says.
“Based on our experience and understanding, the administration of the federal death penalty has been rife with fundamental problems, including race discrimination in trial and sentencing, intellectual disability of defendants, and appallingly poor legal representation. Accordingly, federal executions should not proceed. We urged you to use your constitutional commutation power.”