President Biden's decision to commute the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates has sparked controversy, particularly the cases of two men involved in the 2002 murder of 19-year-old Samantha Burns. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), soon to leave office, has voiced strong disapproval, calling the commutations "horribly misguided and insulting" after speaking with Burns' parents.
Manchin emphasized that the family of Samantha Burns had pleaded with the President and the Department of Justice not to commute the sentences, but their concerns were disregarded. He expressed sympathy for the family's renewed grief during the holiday season. The two perpetrators, Chadrick Fulks and Brandon Basham, escaped from a Kentucky detention facility in 2002 and embarked on a multi-state crime spree, culminating in Burns' murder. They pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in death.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit documented their 17-day rampage across multiple states. While condemning the murderers and acknowledging the victims' families' pain, President Biden defended his decision, stating it aligns with his administration's moratorium on federal executions, except in cases of terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. He reiterated his belief in ending the federal death penalty.
