Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of several killers on death row.
These decisions have now been overturned by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who wants state officials to go after the death penalty for the prisoners.
Bondi told people who work at the Department of Justice (DOJ) about the commutes in a letter on Wednesday. In the letter, she said that Biden’s choice to let the people get out of their sentences “undermine[d] our justice system and subvert[ed] the rule of law.”
Bondi said that when going after people whose death sentences had been commuted, she would tell U.S. attorneys’ offices to use state law instead of federal law. According to her, this would only happen “where appropriate and legally permissible” and “after consultation with the families of the victims and other interested parties.”
“The Capital Case Section shall assist the United States Attorney’s Offices in implementing this directive,” Bondi’s letter said.
“Third, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is directed to ensure that the conditions of confinement for each of the 37 commuted murderers are consistent with the security risks those inmates present because of their egregious crimes, criminal histories, and all other relevant considerations,” she said.
Biden changed the sentences of 37 people on federal death row to life in prison without the chance of parole at the end of December.
At the time, the White House said that the move would stop the government of President-elect Donald Trump from “carrying out the execution sentences that would not be handed down under current policy and practice.”
At the time, the White House said, “The President’s record in the criminal justice system has changed people’s lives and made communities better, especially historically marginalized communities.” “In the coming weeks, the President will take additional steps to provide meaningful second chances and continue to review additional pardons and commutations.”
Dylann Roof, who killed nine people at a church in Charleston, South Carolina; Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who set off the bombs at the Boston Marathon; and Robert Bowers, who shot up the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. was the only mass murderer that Biden left on death row.
Bondi got a lot of attention last week when the DOJ sued New York state, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James, saying they broke federal law by protecting illegal immigrants.
“This is a new DOJ,” Bondi said at a press conference. “New York has chosen to put illegal immigrants ahead of legal residents.” It ends. Today is the last day.”
Mark Schroeder, who is in charge of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, has also been charged. Bondi talked about New York’s “Green Light” laws, also called the “Driver’s License Act,” which let people who are in the country illegally get a driver’s license.
Some federal agencies are not allowed to see information on New York State driver’s licenses because of the law.
“They have green light laws, meaning they’re giving a green light to any illegal alien in New York, where law enforcement officers cannot check their identity if they pull them over,” said Bondi. “They also can’t give police information about their past.” And every day, their lives are in danger because they don’t know who they’re dealing with if they pull over someone without looking into their background.
“If you don’t comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable,” Bondi told us. “We got Illinois, strike one. New York is the second strike. And if your state doesn’t follow federal law, you’ll be next. “Get ready.”
The DOJ asked a federal judge last week to throw out sanctuary laws in Chicago and Illinois.
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