Biden's reason for overturning the sentences of death row inmates is not clear: the expert

President Biden's recent move to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 prisoners on death row has been praised by some and criticized by others, who say it is unclear why the president took this decision in the first place.

The President announced on Monday that 37 prisoners sentenced to prison will have their sentences commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the White House said in a statement that Biden believes that “America must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level, except in cases of terrorism and mass killings motivated by hate.” “

“When President Biden took office, his administration enacted a moratorium on federal executions, and his action today will prevent the next administration from issuing sentences that cannot be issued under current policy and practice,” the White House said.

The three death row inmates who did not meet Biden's demands to have their sentences commuted are: Robert Bowers, the Tree of Life Synagogue shooter who killed 11 people in 2018; Dylann Roof, the White supremacist who killed nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who worked with his late brother to carry out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured hundreds.

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John R. Lott Jr., president of the Crime Prevention Research Center and former chief economist of the U.S. Sentencing Commission in Washington, told Fox News Digital that Biden's reason for deciding to commute the death sentences of 37 inmates sentenced to prison instead of all. 40 is still unclear.

“There are a lot of murderers who get commuted sentences, but there are a few murderers who don't get commuted sentences,” said Lott. “When I read his statement, it was not clear to me what was his reason for separating the cases the way he did.”

“If he thinks the death penalty is wrong, it's not clear where the line is drawn.”

– John Lott Jr.

Lott added that the president “may be playing to his base” in his decision to commute 37 sentences, but noted that the victims' families have shared statements showing that their loved ones were shown no mercy at the hands of those now receiving life sentences. of death.

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US President Joe Biden speaks on stage during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Brandon Bell)

“Many of the families of these victims…have indicated that most of these killers show no remorse for their crimes,” Lott added. “They brutally raped and tortured people. They killed a lot of people in horrible ways.”

Advocates for judicial reform praised the move.

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Matthew Mangino, of Counsel at Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly and George and author of “The Executioner's Toll,” told Fox News Digital that he thinks Biden's reversal strengthens the argument in favor of the death penalty.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in St. Joseph at Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del., on Wednesday, December 18, 2024. (Ben Curtis)

“Ironically, President Biden's use of his clemency power to prevent the systematic execution of inmates sentenced by the court, strengthens the debate over the death penalty,” Mangino said. “He left three men on death row and most of them will face death.”

“While Biden has generally expressed his disdain for the death penalty, he believes — and his actions prove it — that there should be the death penalty for others.”

— Matthew Mangino

United Women in Faith, the world's largest religious women's organization, called on Biden to commute the sentences of all 40 inmates sentenced to prison, saying their organization understands “how the criminal justice system unfairly targets people of color” in a press release. before Biden's decision on Monday.

After the president commuted 37 sentences, Emily Jones, Racial Justice officer at United Women in Faith, praised the move as “very exciting – a true Advent blessing!” in a statement to Fox News Digital.

President Joe Biden speaks to reporters after casting his early ballot in the 2024 general election, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at a polling station in New Castle, Del. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

However, Lott said that death sentences often prompt criminals to plead guilty to avoid death, thus allowing governments to avoid expensive and emotional death penalty trials. Dylann Roof — one of three federal inmates Biden decided to pursue death row — initially expressed interest in pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty, Lott noted.

“Economists looked at this closely and found that on average, for each murder that occurs, you will see a decrease in the number of murders between eight and eighteen,” said Lott. “Obviously that is related to [the death penalty] it's a protection for these guys.”

Convicted murderers who will now escape execution include: Marcivicchi Barnette, who killed a man in a carjacking incident and his ex-girlfriend; co-defendants Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who kidnapped and killed a woman after escaping from prison; Anthony Battle, who killed a prison guard; Jason Brown, who stabbed and killed a postal worker; Thomas Hager, who committed drug-related murder; David Runyon, who participated in the attempted murder of a Navy SEAL; Thomas Sanders, who kidnapped and killed a 12-year-old girl; Rajon Taylor, who stole a car, kidnapped and killed a restaurant owner; and Alejandro Umana, who killed two brothers in a restaurant.

Kamala Harris currently serves as the Vice President of the United States in the Biden-Harris administration. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

This list includes people convicted of killing witnesses, a member of the military, bank guards and employees during a robbery and other state prisoners; and people convicted of drug-related murders and one man who directed the killing of 12 people, including six family members of federal informants.

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Biden faced criticism earlier this month when he commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 prisoners under house arrest during the COVID-19 crisis and pardoned 40 others, including his son, Hunter.

As of December 13, Biden has pardoned 65 people and commuted the sentences of 1,634 prisoners during his time as president, according to the Justice Department.

Fox News' Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.