JAN. 2025. Blues Vol 41 No. 1

AROUND THE

AROUND THE COUNTRYWASHINGTON, D.C.Trump slams Biden for commuting death sentences of 37 federalprisoners saying he spared the “worst killers in our country.”By Dave GoldinerNew York Daily NewsWASHINGTON — President-electDonald Trumpslammed President Joe Biden onTuesday for commuting the deathsentences of 37 federal prisonersin an act of holiday clemency.Trump said relatives of victimsare angry that Biden sparedthe lives of some of the “worstkillers in our country,” includinginmates convicted in the slayingsof police and military officers,as well as murders involved indeadly robberies and drug deals.“When you hear the acts ofeach, you won’t believe that hedid this. Makes no sense,” Trumpwrote on his social media site.Relatives and friends are furtherdevastated. They can’t believethis is happening!”Trump, a vocal death penaltyadvocate, won’t be able to reversethe commutations. But hevowed to aggressively push forfuture federal death sentenceswhen he returns to the WhiteHouse Jan. 20.“As soon as I am inaugurated,I will direct the Justice Departmentto vigorously pursue thedeath penalty to protect Americanfamilies and children from42 The BLUES - JANUARY ‘25violent rapists,murderers,and monsters,”Trump wrote.Biden commutedthe deathsentences of 37out of 40 federaldeath rowinmates. Theywill insteadface life imprisonmentwithoutthe possibility of parole.He left three inmates on federaldeath row: Dylann Roof, whokilled nine Black parishionersat Mother Emanuel AME Churchin Charleston, South Carolina;Robert Bowers, who fatally shot11 congregants at Pittsburgh’sTree of life Synagogue in 2018;and Boston Marathon bomberDzhokhar Tsarnaev.Biden explained his decisionby noting that his administrationhas imposed a moratorium onfederal executions except in casesof “terrorism and hate-motivatedmass murder.”“I cannot stand by and let anew administration resumeexecutions that I halted,” Bidentweeted.Relatives of most, but not allthe victims, denounced Biden’sChristmas week decision tospare the killers.Tim Timmerman, whosedaughter, Rachel, was throwninto a Michigan lake in 1997 tokeep her from testifying in arape trial, said Biden’s decisionto commute the killer’s sentenceoffered families “only pain.”“Where’s the justice in just givinghim a prison bed to die comfortablyin?” Timmerman said.But Donnie Oliverio, a retiredOhio police officer whose partner,Bryan Hurst, was murdered,said the killer’s execution “wouldhave brought me no peace.”ED: I disagree Donnie, I’m prettysure that Officer Hurst’s familywould like to see that scumbagmurderer POS 6-feet under.

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