This browser does not support the Video element.
Biden commutes sentences of death row inmates
President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment.
Seven Texas inmates were among the 37 federal death row inmates that had their sentences commuted on Monday by President Joe Biden.
Those sentences will now become life sentences without parole.
What We Know: President Biden commuted the sentences of seven Texas inmates who were previously sentenced to death.
Six of those inmates were sentenced to death after killing other inmates inside a federal corrections facility in Beaumont, Texas.
- Shannon Wayne Agofsky was serving a life sentence when he beat another inmate to death.
- Christopher Cramer and Ricky Allen Fackrell stabbed another inmate to death and were sentenced to death in 2018.
- Jospeh Ebron stabbed another inmate to death.
- Mark Isaac Snarr and Edgar Garcia stabbed an inmate to death and stabbed two correctional officers.
The other, Julius Omar Robinson, was given the death penalty for killing two men in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
By The Numbers: Biden on Monday commuted 37 of the 40 federal death row inmates as part of his policy that the death penalty should be reserved for cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murders.
READ MORE: Biden gives life in prison to most federal death row inmates: What to know
Last month, Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 Americans who "have shown successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer."
What They're Saying: "I’ve dedicated my career to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.
"Today, I am commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life sentences without the possibility of parole. These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.
"Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss.
"But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted," Biden said.
The Backstory: The president put a stop in place for federal executions when he took office.
He's said that he's against using the death penalty at the federal level except in cases of terrorism or hate-motivated mass murder.
Biden said the clemency action would prevent President-elect Donald Trump from executing those that Biden says would not be sentenced to death under current policies.
The president has commuted more sentences than any other recent first-term presidents.
He previously issued blanket pardons for individuals convicted of simple possession of marijuana charges and former military members convicted of private conduct based on their sexual orientation.