BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – Attorney General Merrick Garland has authorized federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. This decision marks a significant shift in the Biden administration’s approach to the death penalty, as just a few months after taking office, Garland had issued a moratorium to halt federal executions. This move is in stark contrast to the previous administration, which carried out 13 federal executions in just six months.
The Department of Justice, under Garland’s leadership, had previously taken a step back from the use of capital punishment, declining to pursue the death penalty in certain cases. However, the decision to seek capital punishment in the Buffalo case illustrates a departure from the administration’s overall stance on the death penalty. President Biden, who campaigned on a promise to abolish the death penalty, has been criticized for failing to take concrete steps to fulfill this pledge.
Garland’s reversal of over two dozen decisions to seek the death penalty and his authorization of only two death penalty cases inherited from the previous administration demonstrate his reluctance to use this punishment. The case against 20-year-old Payton Gendron, who carried out a racially-motivated mass shooting targeting a largely Black neighborhood, prompted the authorization of this new capital prosecution.
The decision to pursue the death penalty in the Buffalo case has sparked debate among legal experts and activists. Some argue that the death penalty is not a solution to the violence, while others believe that it is necessary in cases of extreme harm to the country. Nevertheless, Garland’s meticulous and nonpartisan approach to the decision-making process demonstrates his commitment to playing by the book in determining the appropriate course of action.
In conclusion, the decision to seek the death penalty for the Buffalo mass shooting case is a significant development that marks a departure from the Biden administration’s overall stance on capital punishment. Despite the administration’s initial halt on federal executions, this decision reflects Attorney General Garland’s careful consideration of the complexities and implications of seeking the death penalty in specific cases.