Biden gives life in prison to 37 of 40 federal death row inmates so Trump can't have them executed

President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment mere weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, an outspoken proponent of expanding capital punishment, takes office. In a statement issued Monday, Biden says, “These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. In a reference to Trump, who campaigned on expanding the use of capital punishment, Biden adds, "In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”