Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) on Monday called the death penalty “racist” and praised President Biden for commuting the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates.
“There is no more powerful or righteous action than saving someone's life, and today President Biden is doing just that,” members of the far-left “squad” of liberal lawmakers said in a statement.
Pressley, 50, called the 82-year-old commander-in-chief's decision to save dozens of convicted murderers and rapists from death “save lives and address the deep racial disparities in our nation's criminal legal system.” This is a historic and groundbreaking act of mercy that addresses the… And it sends a powerful message about salvation, decency, and humanity. ”
“The death penalty is a racist, flawed and fundamentally unjust form of punishment and has no place in any society,” the lawmaker said. “For too long, the death penalty has been disproportionately used as a weapon against black and brown communities, exacerbated systemic inequities, and failed to make America safer. We have been pleading with the president for years to work together to abolish it.”
“By taking this historic action, President Biden is demonstrating the moral leadership needed in this moment,” she added.
Jorge Avila Torrez, 42, was one of the inmates on federal death row whose sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole.
Avila Torrez was convicted of strangling 20-year-old Amanda Snell to death inside a Navy barracks in Arlington, Virginia, in July 2009.
In addition to Snell's murder, in May 2005, Avila-Torres killed two young girls, Laura Hobbs, 8, and Crystal Tobias, 9, who were riding bicycles in their neighborhood in the north suburbs of Chicago. ) was sexually assaulted and murdered.
Months after Snell's murder, the suspect also kidnapped and raped a Virginia graduate student in February 2010.
“What is justification? [Biden] Do you have to do this? We want him to explain to our faces why he chose to show mercy to them when he didn't show mercy to others,” said Snell's brother, Alex. Snell told the Post.
“He should have taken that penalty.”
Pressley, however, encouraged the sentence commutation, calling it a “victory” for the “affected families” of death row inmates and supporters of abolition.
“Their unwavering dedication to the dignity and humanity of all people made this moment possible,” the Massachusetts Democratic Party said.
“We thank President Biden for heeding our call and providing compassionate leadership, and we encourage him to continue exercising his pardon power in the final days of his presidency,” Pressley concluded.
The congressman did not mention victims such as Amada Snell and the Hobbs sisters, who were killed by pardoned federal inmates.
Pressley's office did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
