RESTORING THE DEATH PENALTY AND PROTECTING PUBLIC SAFETY
(summarized)
January 20, 2025
Summary
Summary of Executive Order on Restoring the Death Penalty
Purpose
- Capital Punishment as Deterrent: Affirmation of capital punishment as a critical measure to deter and punish serious crimes.
- Response to Previous Actions: Critique of past administrations for imposing moratoriums on federal executions and commuting sentences of individuals on death row.
Actions Taken
- Policy Declaration: Establishes a commitment to ensuring capital punishment laws are respected and executed without obstruction.
- Federal Capital Punishment:
- Attorney General's Directive: Pursue the death penalty for severe crimes, including:
- Murder of law enforcement officers.
- Capital crimes by aliens illegally present in the U.S.
- Evaluation of Commuted Sentences: Assess conditions of confinement for individuals whose sentences were commuted and explore state charges.
- Preservation of Capital Punishment:
- Ensure states have sufficient drugs for lethal injection.
- Address state certification requests under federal law.
- Overruling Supreme Court Precedents: Act to overturn precedents that limit capital punishment.
- Prosecution Focus: Emphasize the prosecution of violent crime and encourage coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Expected Impact
- Reinforcement of Capital Punishment: Aims to restore and enforce capital punishment policies, ensuring they are consistently applied.
- Public Safety: Intends to enhance community safety through rigorous prosecution of violent crimes and support for law enforcement initiatives.
- Legal Framework Improvement: Seeks to improve the legal landscape for capital punishment at both federal and state levels.