News / FJP Releases
FJP Applauds President Biden for Granting Clemency to Nearly 1,500 Americans, Renews Call for Commuting Federal Death Row
December 12, 2024 (Washington, D.C.) — Fair and Just Prosecution Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig released the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s historic decision commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals who have demonstrated successful rehabilitation and community reintegration after serving their sentences under home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history. President Biden also issued pardons to 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes.
“Today, President Biden has taken a historic step toward justice and second chances, further advancing his commitment to fairness, equity, and second chances within the criminal legal system. Now is the time to build on this progress by commuting the sentences of every individual on federal death row to sentences of life imprisonment. The federal death penalty is deeply flawed, marred by racial bias, and riddled with errors that undermine public trust in our justice system. The horrific executions carried out in the final months of the Trump Administration highlighted the grave injustices inherent in capital punishment, including its disproportionate impact on the marginalized. By commuting federal death row, President Biden can protect human dignity, ensure that future administrations cannot weaponize the death penalty, and align our nation with the values of fairness, decency, and equity.”