‘It is near certain that Donald Trump will re-start the federal killing machine’ - Paul O’Brien

Responding to an announcement from the US government that 37 men currently on federal death row will have their sentences commuted, Paul O’Brien, Amnesty International USA’s Executive Director, said: 

“We applaud President Biden for commuting the death sentences of 37 men currently on federal death row and removing the threat of execution in their cases once and for all. 

“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, and President Biden’s eleventh-hour decision before leaving office to commute these death sentences is a big moment for human rights.  

“The president’s decision is a significant step towards his 2020 promise to end the death penalty at the federal level and incentivise states to follow suit. 

“No federal executions took place during Biden’s presidency. It is near certain that Donald Trump will re-start the federal killing machine where he left off, and we remain concerned about the human rights of those who are still on federal and military death row. 

“During his first administration, Donald Trump was the first president in 17 years to implement federal death sentences, overseeing 13 executions in the last six months of his term.   

“While this is a big win for human rights and the 37 men who have had their death sentences commuted, the death penalty is never the answer. It is disappointing that President Biden did not commute all sentences of those on federal and military death row. We urge President Biden to go further and commute all existing death sentences. 

“It is high time to end this cruel practice everywhere in the United States and beyond.” 

Commutations one of five issues raised with Biden administration

Amnesty opposes the death penalty unconditionally, in all cases and under any circumstances. Earlier this month, Amnesty USA was one of 130 civil and human rights organisations calling on President Biden to commute federal death sentences. In particular, Amnesty has highlighted the case of Billie Allen, with Amnesty collecting nearly 100,000 signatures urging Biden to commute Allen’s death sentence along with all others on federal and military death row. The commutation of federal death sentences is one of five key human rights issues raised by Amnesty ahead of Joe Biden leaving office.