President Biden Commutes Sentences of 37 Prisoners on Federal Death Row, Criticized by Sen. Joe Manchin
Following President Biden’s move to commute the sentences of 37 prisoners on federal death row, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., has expressed his disagreement with the decision, particularly with regards to the clemency granted to two individuals connected to the 2002 murder of Samantha Burns.
According to reports, Burns was slain at the age of 19, and the two men convicted of her murder, Chadrick Fulks and Brandon Basham, had escaped from a Kentucky county detention facility before embarking on a 17-day crime spree that spanned several states. Manchin, who will soon leave office, made a statement on behalf of Burns’ parents, saying that the president’s decision is “horribly misguided and insulting.”
Manchin also shared that Burns’ parents, Kandi and John, had written to President Biden and the Department of Justice, pleading with them not to commute the sentences, but their concerns were disregarded. He expressed his sympathy for their continued suffering and said that as a father, he cannot imagine what they must be reliving and dealing with during the holiday season.
In a statement, President Biden said he condemns the actions of the two men and grieves for the victims and their families, but believes that the use of the death penalty should be stopped at the federal level. He stated that the commutations are consistent with the moratorium he has imposed on federal executions, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
Following President Biden’s announcement, former President Trump took to social media, telling the 37 individuals who escaped capital punishment to “GO TO HELL!”
