tomder55
Dec 26, 2024, 05:18 AM
Today, President Biden announced that he is commuting the sentences of 37 individuals on federal death row. Those individuals will have their sentences reclassified from execution to life without the possibility of parole.
FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row | The White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/fact-sheet-president-biden-commutes-the-sentences-of-37-individuals-on-death-row/)
He selectively left 3 Federal prisoners with death sentences . More on that later .
I have not reviewed all the cases. But I will concentrate on South Carolina cases. One commuted and one not.
Aug. 21, 2017 Brandon Council walked into CresCom bank in Conway SC . He walked up to the teller booth and casually murdered Donna Majorand Kathryn "Katie" Skeen,
Surveillance video from the 2017 double murder shows Council walking into CresCom Bank in Conway, South Carolina, approach Major and speak to her briefly before pulling out a gun and shooting her multiple times.
He then leapt over the counter and opened fire on 36-year-old teller Kathryn Skeen, killing her as well.
Donna Major's family slams Biden for commuting killer's death sentence (https://nypost.com/2024/12/24/us-news/donna-majors-family-slams-biden-for-commuting-killers-death-sentence/)
He was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers.
"Due to the senseless murders of Donna Major and Katie Skeen, the defendant's prior convictions, and their disregard for others and the law, the death penalty was unanimously imposed."
Convicted bank killer among 37 federal inmates whose death sentences were commuted (https://wach.com/newsletter-daily/convicted-bank-killer-among-37-federal-inmates-whose-death-sentences-were-commuted-brandon-council-white-house-biden-administration-death-row-donna-major-kathryn-skeen-cres-com)
He is one of the people that Joe's compassion was bestowed upon. Major's family when hearing about the possibility reached out directly to Joe to makes their case against his act. Their plea went to deaf ears .
The other case is Dylann Roof . His case was not commuted ;one of 3 exceptions. June 17,2015 he walked into Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston SC and opened fired . He killed 9 and injuring one. Joe considers this a racist hate terrorism crime. He is right about that and Roof deserves his fate.
But so did Council
Joe said in his statement
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.
Fine he is entitled to that view . But why selectively apply it if that is what he truly believes .
I'll add one more to the list from Ohio
January 6 ,2005 Daryl Lawrence gunned down police officer Bryan Hurst during a bank robbery .
Hurst, was working special duty at the Fifth Third Bank at 6265 E. Broad St.when Lawrence entered with a drawn handgun and killed him during an exchange of gunfire.
In all 3 cases people were murdered in cold blood and unanimously convicted to death by a jury of their peers.
The framers gave the President the power to “to grant Reprieves and Pardons.”(Article 2 Section 2) But it is not an unlimited power . I think Joe's pardons are an abuse of power. These criminals are not victims . The people they murdered are the victims .
FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row | The White House (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/fact-sheet-president-biden-commutes-the-sentences-of-37-individuals-on-death-row/)
He selectively left 3 Federal prisoners with death sentences . More on that later .
I have not reviewed all the cases. But I will concentrate on South Carolina cases. One commuted and one not.
Aug. 21, 2017 Brandon Council walked into CresCom bank in Conway SC . He walked up to the teller booth and casually murdered Donna Majorand Kathryn "Katie" Skeen,
Surveillance video from the 2017 double murder shows Council walking into CresCom Bank in Conway, South Carolina, approach Major and speak to her briefly before pulling out a gun and shooting her multiple times.
He then leapt over the counter and opened fire on 36-year-old teller Kathryn Skeen, killing her as well.
Donna Major's family slams Biden for commuting killer's death sentence (https://nypost.com/2024/12/24/us-news/donna-majors-family-slams-biden-for-commuting-killers-death-sentence/)
He was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers.
"Due to the senseless murders of Donna Major and Katie Skeen, the defendant's prior convictions, and their disregard for others and the law, the death penalty was unanimously imposed."
Convicted bank killer among 37 federal inmates whose death sentences were commuted (https://wach.com/newsletter-daily/convicted-bank-killer-among-37-federal-inmates-whose-death-sentences-were-commuted-brandon-council-white-house-biden-administration-death-row-donna-major-kathryn-skeen-cres-com)
He is one of the people that Joe's compassion was bestowed upon. Major's family when hearing about the possibility reached out directly to Joe to makes their case against his act. Their plea went to deaf ears .
The other case is Dylann Roof . His case was not commuted ;one of 3 exceptions. June 17,2015 he walked into Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston SC and opened fired . He killed 9 and injuring one. Joe considers this a racist hate terrorism crime. He is right about that and Roof deserves his fate.
But so did Council
Joe said in his statement
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.
Fine he is entitled to that view . But why selectively apply it if that is what he truly believes .
I'll add one more to the list from Ohio
January 6 ,2005 Daryl Lawrence gunned down police officer Bryan Hurst during a bank robbery .
Hurst, was working special duty at the Fifth Third Bank at 6265 E. Broad St.when Lawrence entered with a drawn handgun and killed him during an exchange of gunfire.
In all 3 cases people were murdered in cold blood and unanimously convicted to death by a jury of their peers.
The framers gave the President the power to “to grant Reprieves and Pardons.”(Article 2 Section 2) But it is not an unlimited power . I think Joe's pardons are an abuse of power. These criminals are not victims . The people they murdered are the victims .