Two inmates who were once on death row—one a corrupt cop from New Orleans and the other a figure behind a violent murder spree across multiple states—have been moved to Colorado’s infamous “supermax” prison, according to the Justice Department.
This news arrives as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi aims to reassess the extensive amnesty actions from the previous administration, particularly those concerning violent crimes.
The inmates were relocated on Thursday to the largest federal prison facility in Florence, known as “ADX,” as confirmed by Justice Department officials.
They are part of a group of 37 death row inmates whose sentences were previously commuted just before President Biden left office last December. This action has drawn criticism, with accusations that these mass pardons and commutations were politically motivated and lacked adequate scrutiny.
The Justice Department mentioned that eight death row inmates had already been transferred to ADX, raising the total to 10 since mid-September.
Officials indicated that all 37 inmates whose sentences were commuted by Biden are expected to be transferred to the facility by early next year, and more transfers may happen soon.
This initiative aligns with Bondi and the Trump administration’s goal to reverse some of the criminal justice reforms introduced during Biden’s tenure, particularly those aimed at addressing violent crime.
Justice Department officials remarked that while these commutations can’t be entirely undone, Bondi intends to work with President Trump’s guidance to ensure that the handling of these inmates reflects their serious crimes and criminal backgrounds.
“Two more individuals who plotted to violently take innocent lives will now spend their days in our nation’s most secure federal prisons,” Bondi stated in a communication.
She added, “The Department of Justice will remain steadfast in holding accountable those families who were caught off-guard by the hasty decisions of President Biden regarding these dangerous criminals.”
Both inmates processed at ADX on Thursday had been convicted of particularly egregious offenses, similar to those of the eight former death row inmates sent to the supermax. One of them had followed his ex-girlfriend from Virginia to North Carolina, cut her apartment’s phone line, and torched the building, ultimately leading to her hospitalization due to severe burns. Tragically, he later tracked her down in Virginia and shot her.
Another inmate, a former New Orleans officer known as “RoboCop,” was caught orchestrating the murder of a mother of three who had come to the station to file a police brutality complaint. This interaction was uncovered during a wider FBI investigation into corruption involving police and drug dealers in New Orleans, where he was also implicated in a notorious incident.
ADX is recognized as the only true federal supermax prison in the U.S., housing notorious criminals such as Ramzi Youssef, involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers.
Bondi, shortly after taking office, issued a memo aimed at “restoring some measure of justice” for the families affected by those crimes. This initiative has received more backlash compared to clemency measures under former President Obama, who focused on certain pre-established criteria for sentence commutations.
The Justice Department highlighted that Bondi had met with families of victims earlier this year to listen to their concerns regarding potential reductions in sentences. Many expressed shock over the expedited commutations without adequate consideration from the Biden administration.
In February, Bondi instructed the Bureau of Prisons to assess appropriate placements for these inmates.
