National Security
Should Inmates with Commuted Death Sentences Be Granted Compassionate Release?
Should Inmates with Commuted Death Sentences Be Granted Compassionate Release?
Here’s The Scoop
In a move that has sparked significant controversy, President Joe Biden has commuted the death sentences of 37 federal inmates, converting their punishments to life imprisonment without parole. This decision, made just 28 days before Biden leaves office, aligns with his administration’s stance against federal executions, except in cases involving terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
Among those whose sentences were commuted is Brandon Council, a convicted murderer who was sentenced to death for the 2017 killings of two bank employees, Donna Major and Katie Skeen. Despite the commutation, Council is now seeking a “compassionate release,” claiming that his time in solitary confinement has caused him “severe, unnecessary, and unjustifiable psychological harm.”
This development raises questions about the implications of Biden’s decision on public safety and justice for the victims’ families. The president has stated that his actions reflect a commitment to a “fair and effective justice system,” yet critics argue that this move undermines justice for the victims of heinous crimes.
Council’s plea for release highlights the broader debate over the conditions of confinement and the rights of those convicted of serious offenses. While the Journal of Ethics notes that compassionate release is typically reserved for inmates with debilitating illnesses, Council’s argument centers on the psychological impact of solitary confinement.
The legal motion filed on Council’s behalf argues that his solitary confinement amounts to torture, which is both illegal and unconstitutional. This claim is likely to ignite further debate over the treatment of inmates and the balance between humane conditions and accountability for criminal actions.
As Biden’s term comes to a close, his decision to commute these sentences may leave a lasting impact on the American justice system, raising critical questions about the future of capital punishment and the administration’s priorities in addressing violent crime.
What do you think? Let us know by participating in our poll, or join the discussion in the comment section below!
Mark Smith
January 2, 2025 at 7:18 am
Everyone of those Inmates should be brought back and their Sentence carried out TODAY
John Miller
January 2, 2025 at 7:47 am
They committed the crime, let them do the time!
Joan
January 2, 2025 at 9:20 am
I believe this man should have been put to death. He killed 2 people. Poor baby. He has not been happy in jail. The way to solve that is put him to death. Or…. let him go live with Joe Biden.
jefz
January 2, 2025 at 9:31 am
If only there were a way Trump could reverse this insane pardon Biden, in his state of ignorance, issued.
Mike
January 2, 2025 at 9:21 am
Heinous crimes shouldn’t have time between sentencing and the punishment. Sentence them make them dig their grave, bullet in their skull, have another prisoner cover them up
Lee
January 2, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Keep them in prison. Make it 4 solid walls, a slab with a thin mattress or just blankets, and a hole to a septic tank for waste elimination, and cheap bland food served through a slot in the solid door. Maybe a noose stratigically placed to let them voluntarily shorten their sentence to “life”.
Jerry C.
January 2, 2025 at 5:40 pm
They should be released into the “care” of the families of those they murdered, with said families to already have in hand “pre-pardons” for whatever they might do to the murderer…
I know we all want smaller government but we need a new Bureau under the Department of Justice and a change in law to make all murders Federal capital crimes. When a defendant is convicted of capital murder it automatically triggers a new investigation by the Bureau of Conviction Integrity. Said Bureau has 1 year in which to determine if the conviction holds water or not. If not, then a new trial is granted. If they determine the conviction to be sound, sentence is carried out 1 year and 1 day from the date of conviction – no more spending 20+ years at over $100,000 per year of tax dollars spent per prisoner housing the murderers on the Row ’til they exhaust their seemingly endless appeals and the State finally gets up the gumption to do what should be done. The Bureau may petition a judge for a 6-month extension in the last 30 days of their investigation if they think they’re close to finding the conviction unsound but it’s up to the judge whether or not to grant it. All sentences to be carried out at the end of a rope, in the interest of saving tax dollars (ropes are reusable).
Don
January 3, 2025 at 7:52 am
And Biden should be in prison with them for aiding and abetting criminals.