Joe Biden spares the lives of 37 US federal death row inmates – leaving just three to be executed, including Dylann Roof and the Boston Marathon bomber …

In a move that has drawn widespread attention, President Joe Biden recently made the decision to spare the lives of 37 federal death row inmates, leaving just three individuals who are still set to face execution under federal law. This significant act, marking a notable shift in federal policy, underscores the administration’s stance against the use of the death penalty, particularly for federal crimes.

The decision follows Biden’s campaign promise to work toward ending the federal death penalty, an issue that has long been a point of contention in American criminal justice. Since taking office in 2021, Biden has taken steps to limit the application of the death penalty, including directing the Department of Justice to halt federal executions, which had resumed under the previous administration. Biden’s actions reflect his broader emphasis on criminal justice reform and human rights.

The inmates whose sentences were commuted are primarily those convicted of crimes that occurred decades ago. Some of the individuals have spent years, or even decades, on death row awaiting execution. In Biden’s view, the federal death penalty has been applied inconsistently and unjustly, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. This decision is seen as part of a larger shift in American attitudes toward capital punishment, with increasing numbers of states abolishing the death penalty in recent years.

Among the three inmates whose executions will go forward are two particularly high-profile cases: Dylann Roof and the Boston Marathon bomber, Tsarnaev. Roof, convicted of the 2015 massacre of nine Black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced to death in 2017. Tsarnaev, convicted for his role in the 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon that killed three people and injured hundreds, was sentenced to death in 2015. Both cases have generated significant national and international attention, especially given the scale of the crimes and the emotional toll on the victims’ families.

Roof’s case, in particular, has sparked controversy due to his unrepentant attitude and his self-proclaimed desire to start a race war. The decision to pursue his execution, along with Tsarnaev’s, raises complex moral and legal questions, particularly regarding the scope of federal authority to impose the death penalty in such high-profile cases.

Biden’s decision to spare the lives of the other 37 inmates has been praised by anti-death penalty advocates, who argue that the death penalty is inherently flawed and disproportionately affects poor and minority defendants. At the same time, critics of Biden’s stance argue that certain heinous crimes, such as those committed by Roof and Tsarnaev, warrant the ultimate punishment. As the country continues to grapple with these difficult issues, Biden’s decision marks a significant turning point in the federal government’s approach to capital punishment.

This move highlights the ongoing debate over the death penalty in the U.S., a debate that is far from resolved but is increasingly leaning toward abolition in some circles. Whether this decision will spark broader reform or remain an isolated policy change under Biden’s administration remains to be seen.