President Biden commuted the sentence of Leonard Peltier, an 80-year-old American Indian Movement activist serving a life sentence for the 1975 murder of two FBI agents. Though maintaining his innocence, Peltier will now serve his sentence under home confinement. His commutation follows decades of advocacy highlighting concerns about the evidence used in his conviction, including a statement from a former prosecutor expressing doubts about the case. This decision concludes nearly five decades of imprisonment for Peltier.
Read More
President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, changing their punishments to life imprisonment without parole. This action, excluding three inmates convicted of terrorism or hate crimes, follows months of advocacy and reflects Biden’s evolving stance against the death penalty. The decision aims to prevent the incoming administration from resuming federal executions, a practice significantly increased under the Trump administration. This commutation is part of a broader clemency initiative by Biden, unprecedented in its scale and scope.
Read More
Charles Littlejohn, an IRS contractor, was sentenced to five years in prison for releasing the tax information of wealthy individuals, a sentence far exceeding sentencing guidelines and harsher than those given for comparable crimes. This disproportionate punishment, influenced by Republican lobbying, highlights the undue influence of the wealthy on the justice system. Littlejohn’s actions, which exposed significant tax avoidance by billionaires, were intended to serve the public interest. A presidential commutation is urged to rectify this injustice and protect Littlejohn from potential retribution from President-elect Trump.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker