As if his 1,500 pardons weren’t enough to cause outrage, President Biden has gone further. Near the end of his presidency, Biden has commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without parole, just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump wants to expand capital punishment, making this a move to counteract the incoming administration. Will Biden also issue “pre-emptive” pardons for individuals Trump’s Justice Department might pursue? It could happen.
Among those receiving commutations are convicted murderers Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who kidnapped and killed a woman after escaping from prison, Marcivicci Barnette, who killed a man and his ex-girlfriend, and Anthony Battle, who killed a prison guard. A man involved in a murder-for-hire plot on a Navy officer and Thomas Sanders, who killed a 12-year-old girl, are also spared execution. Additionally, several convicted bank robbers who killed during their crimes are receiving clemency.
Biden justified this by claiming he has dedicated his career to reducing violent crime and ensuring an effective justice system. He states the only exceptions to his actions are for individuals convicted of terrorism and hate crimes. However, this distinction raises questions since other murderers like Dylann Roof and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev remain on death row.
Biden’s actions suggest selective morality. The reasons behind a murder shouldn’t affect the penalty. Following his reasoning, a pardon could be given to the accused murderer of a healthcare CEO.
Biden’s actions reflect what C. S. Lewis called “the humanitarian view of punishment. ” He believes that taking away a murderer’s liberty isn’t equal to taking an innocent life. This approach resembles “cafeteria Christianity,” where one follows only the church teachings they agree with while ignoring others.
Biden seems to show no concern for unborn babies and has not taken steps to limit abortions in the U. S. , including late-term abortions. He presents himself as a “good Catholic,” which Pope Francis has acknowledged. However, many Catholic politicians do not represent the Church’s view accurately.
While the Church opposes capital punishment, one cannot choose which teachings to accept and still claim to be "devout" without violating the "moral law. "
In a 2014 speech, Pope Francis called for an end to capital punishment. While he may support Biden’s commutations, it remains uncertain whether he will condemn Biden for not protecting the unborn who cannot defend themselves. Readers are encouraged to leave comments, which will be manually approved to prevent spam.
https://www.frontpagemag.com/protecting-the-lives-of-murderers/
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