Key Takeaways:
– President Biden commuted the death penalty sentences of 37 inmates, including those of murderers Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks.
– The decision came after meetings with Pope Francis, who advocated for the elimination of the death sentence.
– However, three death sentences including those of a Boston Marathon co-conspirator and South Carolina church shooter were left untouched.
– Outgoing Senator Joe Manchin expressed strong opposition to Biden’s decision, deeming it as horribly misguided and insulting.
The Crime Story: 2002 Escape and Killing Spree
In a surprising move, President Joe Biden recently made the decision to commute the death penalty sentences of 37 inmates. Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, who were part of this group, received a reprieve from their death sentences, sparking a wave of heated debates and reactions.
In 2002, Basham and Fulks escaped from a Kentucky jail, which marked the beginning of their three-week long crime rampage. The duo kidnapped and murdered 19-year-old Samantha Burns, a college student from Marshall University. This horrific incident took place after Burns left her part-time job at JC Penney. Despite rigorous search operations, Burns’ remains have never been recovered.
In a plea bargain agreement, both Basham and Fulks admitted to killing Burns during a carjacking. Unfortunately, their list of victims didn’t end with Burns. The pair also killed another woman, Alice Donovan, contributing to their infamous reputation.
Biden’s Decision: Reactionary or Grounded in Morals?
On December 23, Biden announced the commutation of the death sentences of 37 federal death row inmates including Basham and Fulks. This came after his reportedly meeting with Pope Francis, who is an advocate for life over the death penalty. In the updated sentences, the inmates will now face life in prison without any prospect of parole.
However, three high-profile death row inmates did not find their names on Biden’s commutation list. These included a Boston Marathon co-conspirator, a white supremacist who killed nine church-goers in South Carolina, and the Tree of Life synagogue shooter from Pittsburgh.
Outrage and Opposition: Senator Joe Manchin Speaks Out
Among those who vehemently opposed Biden’s decision was outgoing Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. After leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent, Manchin didn’t hold back in expressing his anger and disappointment. In a strongly-worded statement, he described the president’s decision as horribly misguided and insulting – one that snubs the feelings of the victims’ families.
Manchin took the time to talk to Burns’ parents before expressing his sentiments on their behalf. The senator said those grieving families had written letters to President Biden and the Justice Department pleading for reconsideration of the decision. Sadly, he added, their pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears. He extended his deepest sympathies to the Burns family who are reeling under renewed pain and grief, especially during the holiday season.
“I can’t imagine their grief. Samantha will forever be in our prayers,” said Manchin. He added that as a father and their senator, he deeply empathized with their ongoing suffering.
Manchin’s term as a senator will conclude in January. Meanwhile, the national conversation around the death penalty and its ethical implications continues to rage on, fuelled by Biden’s controversial decision.