Under the leadership of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department is committed to correcting these failures and restoring the lawful administration of the death penalty. The Department has rescinded the Biden-Garland moratorium on federal executions and has authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants. Acting Attorney General Blanche has already authorized seeking death sentences against nine of these defendants, including three MS-13 members, two of whom are illegal aliens, accused of murdering a federal witness.
Today, the Justice Department took the following steps to better achieve public safety and deliver justice to victims of the very worst crimes:
Released the Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty Report, which examines the actions of the Biden-Garland Justice Department and, after a thorough analysis, finds that the use of pentobarbital to carry out death sentences is consistent with the Eighth Amendment.
Directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reinstate the execution protocol adopted during the first Trump Administration, which relies on pentobarbital as the lethal agent.
Directed BOP to expand the execution protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad.
Directed BOP to examine relocating or expanding federal death row or constructing an additional execution facility to permit additional manners of execution.
Directed the Office of Legislative Affairs to finalize and deliver a comprehensive legislative proposal to Congress that will improve public safety and better achieve justice for victims.
In the coming weeks, the Department plans to take the following additional steps:
Consider a rule that will empower states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases. If adopted, the rule will reduce by years the period between conviction and execution in state capital cases.
Publish a proposed rule prohibiting capital inmates from submitting clemency petitions, and the Office of the Pardon Attorney from considering such petitions, until court decisions in the inmate’s direct appeal and first collateral attack are final.
Revise the Justice Manual to return the Department to its historic approach to capital crimes, streamline the process for seeking death sentences, and ensure appropriate consultation with victims’ families.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty