Biden Commutes 37 Death Row Sentences: Complete List of Murderers & Criticisms
Lame duck president Joe Biden continues his onslaught of last-minute ultra-woke moves by helping convicted murderers avoid the death penalty
Joe Biden recently commuted the sentences of 37 Death Row murderers… these criminals were undisputedly guilty - convicted and sentenced to receive the death penalty.
Biden continues masquerading as a moderate while carrying out an extreme progressive/liberal agenda… and American citizens must now cope with Biden’s soft spot for serious crime (letting literal murderers off the hook).
Commuting the sentences of cold-blooded, deranged murderers is a hard slap in the face to the victims’ families/friends… and my guess is that if Biden were related to one of the victims there’s zero chance this happens.
Biden is Catholic and is taking cues from the Pope drifting woker (i.e. more extreme liberal/progressive) by the day… both are trying to score woke points by being anti-death penalty due to “ethics.”
Yet for clear-cut murderers, the death penalty is arguably the most ethical solution… and Biden gets to counteract what is objectively best for the U.S.: an inexpensive death for all murderers… based on his recent philosophical leanings (perhaps fueled in part by cognitive decline and/or age-related changes in brain morphology).
Rationale (According to White House Fact Sheet)
Why did Biden do this? You can read the official White House Fact Sheet.
1. President Biden’s View on Capital Punishment
Opposes federal executions for general violent crimes but retains the death penalty for terrorism and hate-based mass murders.
Believes commuting these sentences to life without parole ensures that future administrations cannot override current federal capital-punishment policy in these particular cases.
2. Criminal Justice Reform & Clemency Record
The Fact Sheet claims this is part of Biden’s larger effort to provide second chances and address potential inequities in sentencing—though critics note these 37 cases involve extremely brutal and premeditated murders, making them especially controversial.
The administration’s stance is that lengthy incarceration without parole is punishment enough, and execution is rarely justified unless it is a crime of terrorism/hate.
37 Convicted Murderers (Death Row Inmates) Spared by Joe Biden
Below is a list of the 37 murderers on death row awaiting execution that Joe Biden felt compelled to spare.
1. SHANNON WAYNE AGOFSKY (Reg. No. 06267-045)
Crimes:
Drowned a bank manager alive in 1989.
Later, while serving life in prison, brutally killed a fellow inmate by stomping on his neck; the victim effectively drowned in his own blood. The murder was caught on prison surveillance.
Context: Often cited as an example of an inmate who committed a second homicide while already serving a life sentence.
2. BILLIE JEROME ALLEN (Reg. No. 26901-044)
Crimes:
Armed bank robbery in St. Louis, Missouri, during which he shot and killed a bank guard with a semi-automatic weapon.
Allegedly inspired by the movies Set It Off and Heat.
Used stolen vans as getaway vehicles; apprehended with strong evidence linking him to the crime.
3. AQUILIA MARCIVICCI BARNETTE (Reg. No. 12599-058)
Crimes:
Tried to kill an ex-girlfriend by firebombing her home.
Fled jurisdiction; during flight, carjacked and murdered a man.
Attempted again to murder his ex-girlfriend after the carjacking.
Context: Multiple attempted murders, arson, and flight from justice.
4. BRANDON LEON BASHAM (Reg. No. 98940-071)
Crimes:
Escaped from a Kentucky jail with co-defendant Chadrick Fulks.
Kidnapped and murdered Alice Donovan; also admitted involvement in the murder of Samantha Burns.
Donovan’s remains were discovered years later.
Context: One of two fugitives who committed violent crimes while on the run.
5. ANTHONY GEORGE BATTLE (Reg. No. 11451-056)
Crimes:
Murdered his wife (a Marine), resulting in a life sentence.
While in federal prison, killed a guard and allegedly told the jury the guard “died like a dog.”
Context: Example of an inmate already serving a severe sentence who then murdered a federal corrections officer.
6. MEIER JASON BROWN (Reg. No. 11364-021)
Crimes:
Went to a post office to pick up mail, then returned to rob it.
Stabbed the postal clerk (whom he knew personally) to death.
Claimed he “tripped” onto the victim but decided to kill her to eliminate witnesses.
Context: Admitted to premeditated murder of a postal worker.
7. CARLOS DAVID CARO (Reg. No. 37786-079)
Crimes:
Serving prison time for large-scale drug trafficking.
While incarcerated, murdered his cellmate in a high-security facility.
Context: Another prisoner who received a federal death sentence for committing homicide behind bars.
8. WESLEY PAUL COONCE, JR. (Reg. No. 30011-039)
Crimes:
Incarcerated for a violent carjacking (and, per some accounts, sexual assault).
Along with Charles Michael Hall, took part in attacking/killing an inmate who was trying to assist a guard during a disturbance.
Context: Prison homicide committed in tandem with another inmate serving time for separate serious offenses.
9. BRANDON MICHAEL COUNCIL (Reg. No. 63961-056)
Crimes:
Walked into a Conway, South Carolina, bank with the intention to rob it.
Almost immediately shot two employees—Donna Major and Kathryn Skeen—killing both.
Caught on surveillance cameras and apprehended soon after.
Context: Family members of the victims have vocally objected to any commutation.
10. CHRISTOPHER EMORY CRAMER (Reg. No. 10422-081)
Crimes:
Was serving time alongside Ricky Fackrell as part of the Soldiers of the Aryan Culture (a white supremacist gang).
Participated in murdering a fellow gang member (Leo Johns) who had fallen out of favor.
Context: Prison-gang-related homicide with multiple accomplices.
11. LEN DAVIS (Reg. No. 24325-034)
Crimes:
A former New Orleans police officer involved in drug dealing (particularly crack cocaine) and widespread corruption.
Under FBI surveillance for numerous offenses; while wiretapped, he arranged the murder of a witness who had seen him assault someone.
Recorded “celebrating” the murder on federal wire.
Context: High-profile “bad cop” case with overwhelming evidence.
12. JOSEPH EBRON (Reg. No. 08655-007)
Crimes:
Already serving life for a double homicide or “back-to-back murders.”
While in prison, stabbed another inmate 100+ times with an accomplice.
Context: Extremely violent recidivist who committed murder behind bars.
13. RICKY ALLEN FACKRELL (Reg. No. 12324-081)
Crimes:
Along with Christopher Cramer, was part of a white supremacist prison gang.
Murdered fellow gang member Leo Johns in a high-security facility.
Context: Prison homicide driven by gang discipline or personal vendetta.
14. EDWARD LEON FIELDS, JR. (Reg. No. 04136-063)
Crimes:
Ex–prison guard with diagnosed schizophrenia.
Stalked and eventually murdered a couple in a national park.
Confessed to the homicides.
Context: Mentally ill defendant but convicted on substantial evidence.
15. CHADRICK EVAN FULKS (Reg. No. 16617-074)
Crimes:
Escaped from a Kentucky jail with Brandon Basham.
Together, they kidnapped and murdered Alice Donovan, also implicated in other violent crimes during their flight.
Context: Paired with Basham in a multi-state crime spree.
16. MARVIN CHARLES GABRION, II (Reg. No. 09184-055)
Crimes:
Described as a “delusional schizophrenic” with a history of violent crimes, including rape and possibly multiple murders.
Punched or attacked his own lawyer in open court.
The murders involved complex circumstances, including a missing woman and child.
Context: Notorious for extreme courtroom behavior and multiple possible victims.
17. EDGAR BALTAZAR GARCIA (Reg. No. 28132-177)
Crimes:
Along with Mark Snarr, was being escorted to a cell by federal officers.
Slipped restraints, brandished homemade knives, and fatally stabbed at least one officer (or multiple people).
Context: Brazen attack on correctional staff within a secure institution.
18. THOMAS MOROCCO HAGER (Reg. No. 08596-007)
Crimes:
Former drug dealer connected to multiple violent acts.
Put on federal death row for killing a single mother in her apartment (while two accomplices participated), leaving her 13-month-old baby alone.
Context: Heinous homicide with aggravating factors (young mother, child present).
19. CHARLES MICHAEL HALL (Reg. No. 03766-036)
Crimes:
Serving time for threatening a judge (and possibly other violent convictions).
Teamed up with Wesley Coonce to kill inmate Victor Rodriguez, who was trying to aid a prison guard.
Context: Co-defendant in a fatal prison assault.
20. NORRIS G. HOLDER (Reg. No. 26902-044)
Crimes:
Bank robber who shot and killed a guard during the heist.
Often cited as another example of an indisputable “caught red-handed” capital case.
Context: Clear evidence of a robbery-turned-murder.
21. RICHARD ALLEN JACKSON (Reg. No. 16669-058)
Crimes:
Kidnapped and raped a woman, then tied her to a tree and shot her in the head.
Confessed fully to the crime.
Context: Incredibly brutal sexual assault and murder.
22. JURIJUS KADAMOVAS (Reg. No. 21050-112)
Crimes:
Soviet-born mobster in the U.S.; with Iouri Mikhel, kidnapped five people for ransom, murdered them afterward.
High-profile kidnapping ring that left a trail of evidence.
Context: Organized crime involving abduction and multiple homicides.
23. DARYL LAWRENCE (Reg. No. 66476-061)
Crimes:
Armed bank robber who killed a bank guard in the course of the robbery.
Video and physical evidence used to convict him.
Context: Another instance of lethal bank robbery leading to a federal death sentence.
24. IOURI MIKHEL (Reg. No. 23675-112)
Crimes:
Partnered with Jurijus Kadamovas in kidnapping-for-ransom schemes that resulted in at least five murders.
Part of the same Soviet-born organized crime group in California.
Context: Multiple victim homicides tied to extortion plots.
25. RONALD MIKOS (Reg. No. 20716-424)
Crimes:
A Chicago-area podiatrist who fraudulently billed Medicare.
Murdered an elderly patient-witness slated to testify against him before a grand jury about the fraud.
Context: Obstruction of justice by murder.
26. JAMES H. ROANE, JR. (Reg. No. 32923-083)
Crimes:
Leader or key member of a major drug-trafficking ring in Richmond, Virginia.
Carried out contract killings to eliminate competition/rivals.
Context: Tied to multiple murders aimed at consolidating drug territory.
27. JULIUS OMAR ROBINSON (Reg. No. 26190-177)
Crimes:
Drug dealer responsible for at least three murders, including drive-by shootings.
Multiple witnesses and accomplices provided damning testimony.
Context: High-volume narcotics combined with “gangland”-style killings.
28. DAVID ANTHONY RUNYON (Reg. No. 57997-083)
Crimes:
Hired contract killer who murdered a Navy veteran at the request of the victim’s wife, to collect on a life insurance policy.
Accomplices turned state’s evidence.
Context: Murder-for-hire with substantial paper trail.
29. RICARDO SANCHEZ, JR. (Reg. No. 75820-004)
Crimes:
Along with Daniel Troya, stopped a family of four on the highway near West Palm Beach over a drug debt.
Killed the mother, father, and two children execution-style.
Context: Particularly horrific because children were among the victims.
30. THOMAS STEVEN SANDERS (Reg. No. 15967-043)
Crimes:
Kidnapped and murdered a woman, then murdered her 12-year-old daughter days later.
Showed no remorse, reportedly.
Context: Child victim, double homicide with especially heinous details.
31. KABONI SAVAGE (Reg. No. 58232-066)
Crimes:
Philadelphia drug “kingpin” implicated in numerous murders, including setting fire to a rowhouse to kill witnesses (the fire killed multiple family members).
Known for terrorizing neighborhoods and threatening witnesses.
Context: One of the most infamous federal cases involving intimidation and multiple murders.
32. MARK ISAAC SNARR (Reg. No. 11093-081)
Crimes:
Along with Edgar Garcia, was being escorted by prison staff; slipped restraints, used shivs to stab and kill a correctional officer (and possibly injured or killed a second victim).
Context: Another capital case stemming from lethal violence against officers within a federal facility.
33. REJON TAYLOR (Reg. No. 41070-074)
Crimes:
Carjacked, kidnapped, and then murdered a restaurant owner in Georgia.
Clear evidence and admissions tied him to the crime.
Context: Straightforward kidnapping-murder capital conviction.
34. RICHARD TIPTON (Reg. No. 32922-083)
Crimes:
Associated with James Roane in a large-scale Virginia drug ring.
Responsible for multiple killings to eliminate rivals and secure territory.
Context: Another co-defendant in the same “murder-for-hire” or gangland slayings as Roane.
35. JORGE AVILA TORREZ (Reg. No. 16054-084)
Crimes:
Former Marine who murdered a female Navy petty officer in her barracks.
Linked to additional violent acts and possibly other homicides.
Context: Strong forensic evidence tied him to the crime scene.
36. DANIEL TROYA (Reg. No. 75817-004)
Crimes:
Teamed with Ricardo Sanchez, Jr. in the West Palm Beach murders of a family of four, including two small children, over a drug debt.
Left the bodies on the side of the highway.
Context: Among the most disturbing capital cases due to child victims.
37. ALEJANDRO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ UMAÑA (Reg. No. 23077-058)
Crimes:
Noted MS-13 gang member.
Shot and killed two brothers in a crowded restaurant after an altercation.
Context: Gang-related double homicide in a public setting.
Victims’ Families Reactions to Biden
Tim Timmerman – Father of Rachel Timmerman (murdered in 1997 by Marvin Gabrion). Criticized the decision’s timing and moral justifications. He questions how it can be called justice for his daughter’s killer to spend life in prison instead of facing the penalty determined by the courts.
Heather Turner – Daughter of murder victim Donna Major
Called the commutation an “abuse of power,” believing her mother’s death is being used as a political pawn. Heather insists the families are being re-traumatized by this unexpected shift in federal policy.
Trump Reacts to Biden’s Commutation
Donald Trump strongly criticized these commutations.
During his campaign, he vowed to expand the death penalty to include:
Child rapists
Killers of U.S. citizens and law enforcement
Drug and human traffickers
Trump characterizes Biden’s blanket commutation for 37 of these “most heinous criminals” as dangerously soft on crime.
Law Enforcement & Legal Concerns
Multiple law enforcement organizations have also decried Biden’s move.
Biden’s Rationale: “I cannot allow a new administration to resume executions,” referencing his own experience as a public defender.
Critics, however, say that the President is overstepping judicial authority.
Many of these death sentences were determined by juries who weighed the evidence and handed down the ultimate penalty. Commuting those decisions, some argue, undermines the judicial process.
Timing Controversy
The commutations occurred just weeks before the anticipated transition of power back to Donald Trump and have prompted accusations of political motivation.
Critics contend that Biden pushed through these commutations to cement his anti–death penalty stance without regard for the justice system’s finality.
Why Exclude Dylann Roof?
The White House explained that the commutations were “consistent with the moratorium on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder.”
Roof’s Specific Case
Dylann Roof: Convicted of killing nine African American worshippers in 2015 at Emanuel AME Church, South Carolina, during a Bible study.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit stated Roof’s intent was to terrorize a broader community beyond his immediate victims.
Despite President Biden’s general opposition to the death penalty, he made an exception for Roof, labeling the murders as a hate-based mass killing—thereby excluding him from commutation.
Criticisms & Ethical Debates over the Commute
While some may argue for sparing these murderers from death due to ethics – others could use “ethics” to argue the exact opposite. Ethics are subjective and mostly used as a manipulation tactic by ultra-woke.
Severity and Certainty of Guilt
In typical “anti–death penalty” arguments, the possibility of wrongful conviction is a core reason to oppose executions. Here, the 37 individuals are indisputably and heinously guilty. Commuting their sentences is, therefore, not about avoiding executing the innocent; it’s about ending the practice itself (except in specific categories).
Critics argue that if ever the death penalty is justified, these cases—especially murders of children, murders of guards while in prison, multiple kidnappings—are prime examples.
Impact on Victims’ Families
Victims’ families who have spent years (or decades) waiting for the finality of capital punishment may feel re-traumatized, believing that justice is not being served.
Many families see the death penalty as a form of closure. Commutation to life without parole can feel like broken promises from the justice system.
Risk to Other Inmates and Guards
Several on this list murdered fellow inmates or guards after already receiving life sentences. Critics worry these individuals remain a lethal threat within the prison system.
Detractors claim that for those who kill again while already serving life, the death penalty is one of the few remaining deterrents or punishments.
Political or Symbolic Selectivity
By sparing “ordinary” murderers yet retaining the death penalty for terrorism/hate-based killings, critics believe the administration is sending an implicit message that “some victims matter more,” or that capital punishment is allowed only if the crime has a strong political dimension.
Opponents also see it as a move primarily designed to satisfy certain political bases (e.g., those wanting to see Dylann Roof and Tsarnaev executed, while claiming a broad anti–death penalty stance).
Economic/Taxpayer Burden
Housing inmates for life—especially high-security inmates requiring extensive monitoring—can be significantly more expensive over the decades than carrying out a death sentence (although that’s also debated, since death penalty appeals are expensive).
Some taxpayers may feel forced to fund these inmates’ lifelong incarceration despite their especially egregious crimes.
Moral Consistency and Catholic Teaching
President Biden identifies as Catholic, and Pope Francis has been a vocal opponent of the death penalty. Critics argue that Biden is imposing personal/religious views on the criminal justice system, rather than reflecting the will of the public or the interests of victims.
Why Biden’s Actions are Highly Unethical
Betrayal of Justice: Family members were told, at trial, that the ultimate punishment would be served for these brutal acts. A commutation removes the once-promised legal punishment.
Safety Concerns: Many argue that if someone murders guards or fellow inmates, they remain an ongoing security threat.
Terrorism vs. “Ordinary” Mass Violence: The claim that the death penalty remains for terrorists or hate crimes but not for equally horrific murders (e.g., mass killings for drug debts, murdering children, or repeatedly murdering in custody) strikes some as arbitrary.
Devaluation of Non-Hate Victims: Families feel their tragedy is being dismissed because it doesn’t meet a political threshold of “terrorism” or “hate crime.”
Financial Obligation to Sustain: Lifelong incarceration at maximum security can be extremely expensive. Critics believe the public is forced to pay for decades of appeals, healthcare, etc.
Can Trump Reverse Biden’s Commutations?
Unfortunately not. Once a President commutes a sentence, that act is generally irrevocable—no future President can “un-commute” it and reimpose the original sentence.
In other words, Trump (or any successor) would not be able to reverse Biden’s commutations and send those inmates back to death row.
Why Commutations Cannot Be Reversed
Constitutional Power of Clemency
Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses. This includes both pardons (erasing a conviction’s legal consequences) and commutations (reducing the length or severity of a sentence).
Once exercised, this clemency power is final. Courts have consistently held that neither Congress nor a subsequent President can undo or modify a validly issued commutation or pardon.
Legal Precedent
The Supreme Court has affirmed that the President’s clemency authority is “plenary,” meaning it is not subject to judicial or legislative reversal.
Historically, there is no recognized mechanism by which a new administration can reimpose a commuted sentence.
“Re-Commutation” Is Not a Thing
Although a President could theoretically grant further clemency (such as fully pardoning someone after they have been granted a commutation), there is no constitutional or statutory basis for reinstating the original sentence. Once it’s commuted to life without parole, it stays that way.
Can Anything Else Happen?
No Return to Death Row: The inmates who received commutations are now legally serving life without parole, not the death penalty. A future President has no clear legal path to revert those inmates back to capital punishment status.
Potential for Additional Clemency: In the opposite direction, another President could choose to lessen the punishment further—though that would be politically unpopular if the inmates committed particularly heinous crimes. A future President could not “upgrade” a commutation into an execution.
State vs. Federal Charges: If any of these inmates also faced separate state charges (rare but possible), a state could theoretically proceed with its own sentencing or capital case. However, for purely federal death sentences, the path is closed once commuted.
Bottom Line: President Biden’s commutations are permanent regarding federal cases. No future administration, including one led by Donald Trump, can restore the death penalty for those 37 inmates.
Final Take: Biden’s Last Dumb Move…
This “across-the-board” commutation for individuals who committed some of the most violent and horrific murders imaginable is a betrayal of justice, a source of ongoing trauma for survivors’ families, and an inconsistent, politicized use of the death penalty.
I think this is one last dumb move by a Joe Biden who has been exploited as a result of his cognitive decline and perhaps neurological disorder(s). He is in zero condition to make serious decisions and shouldn’t be sparing criminals on Death Row.