
Audio By Carbonatix
Since July of 2020, President Trump has executed nine federal prisoners and he has four more scheduled before he leaves office next month. Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley wants to make sure this doesn’t happen again and is calling for President-elect Joe Biden to end the death penalty.
According to CBS, in a letter sent to the transition team for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Pressley wrote, “The current administration has weaponized capital punishment with callous disregard for human life.
In the middle of our current public health crisis, the Department of Justice resumed federal executions and executed more people in six months than the total number executed over the previous six decades.”
She continued, “With a stroke of your pen, you can stop all federal executions, prohibit United States Attorneys from seeking the death penalty, dismantle death row at FCC Terre Haute, and call for the resentencing of people who are currently sentenced to death. Each of these elements are critical to help prevent greater harm and further loss of life.”
Over 40 members of Congress added their name to the letter, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
The letter is just Pressley’s most recent attempt to abolish the death penalty: in July of 2019, she introduced legislation to block the death penalty after the Department of Justice reinstated capital punishment.
Biden has promised to abolish the federal death penalty and said he will give incentives to states to stop seeking death sentences. Activists have pointed out that he does not need to wait for Congress to abolish the federal death penalty; once he’s sworn in as President, he could do so by executive order.
Latest Stories
-
Filth chokes Korle drains as residents appeal for urgent action
6 minutes -
Networking is key to success in voice-over business – Ball J
15 minutes -
A happy wife makes a happy home
17 minutes -
I remained loyal to the NPP despite my suspension – Paul Afoko
19 minutes -
Woman arrested for allegedly murdering husband after misunderstanding
19 minutes -
Remove ‘justified sureties’ requirement – Martin Kpebu calls for bail reforms
23 minutes -
PPE failures left NHS staff poorly protected and wasted £10bn, Covid inquiry finds
24 minutes -
If he wanted to flee, he wouldn’t have returned to Ghana – Kpebu on Miracles Aboagye’s GH¢50m bail
25 minutes -
Paul Afoko says he has forgiven NPP members over suspension, urges end to factionalism
27 minutes -
GH¢50m bail condition for Miracles Aboagye oppressive and excessive – Gary Nimako
30 minutes -
Gender Minister honours 4 young Ghanaian Guinness World Record holders
31 minutes -
Royalhouse Chapel urges civic responsibility after June 29 floods
37 minutes -
Supreme Court suspends enforcement of ruling restoring GN Savings licence
42 minutes -
Modern security challenges demand coordinated national response – NADMO
51 minutes -
Ghana’s highest offices must belong to those with undivided national allegiance
55 minutes