On Monday, the recently sworn president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order which in practice restores national death punishment status. This decision has sparked stormy discussions within and outside the country, and besides raises questions about the future of the American justice system. Here are the details of the decision and its possible effects.
Return of the death punishment at national level
The order issued by Trump orders the Justice Department to actively prosecute the death punishment in national cases. This includes helping states to supply stocks of substances utilized for execution by injection. As reported by the Associated Press, this step was taken shortly after the moratorium on national executions, introduced in 2021 by erstwhile lawyer General Merrick Garland.
There are presently only 3 defendants on death row at national level. At the end of his term, president Joe Biden traded 37 death sentences for life. Meanwhile, Trump made it clear that his administration would search to introduce the death punishment in a broader sense.
New administration priorities
President Trump's order underlines the peculiar cases in which the lawyer General is to search the death penalty, regardless of another factors. This concerns in particular:
- The murders of law enforcement officers.
- Offences threatened by the death punishment committed by foreigners illegally residing in the United States.
The president besides recommended the lawyer General to search the abolition of ultimate Court precedents that limit the anticipation of death punishment imposed by state and national governments.
Reasons for the decision
Trump argued in his order that "the most crucial work of the government is to defend citizens from repugnant acts". He besides added that his administration would not tolerate actions aimed at limiting the anticipation of utilizing the death punishment against perpetrators of violent crimes. During his first term, Trump's government conducted 13 national executions – more than any administration in the past 120 years.
Political context of the decision
The announcement of the restoration of the death punishment falls into a broader political context. During the election run for 2024, Trump called for the introduction of a death punishment for drug traffickers. Its inspiration was severe penalties applied in China against smugglers. In his speeches, Trump repeatedly stressed the request for tougher action against criminals, arguing that this would be dissuasive to possible perpetrators.
Controversy and Opposition
Trump's decision creates controversy on many levels. Human rights advocates argue that the death punishment is irreversible and that the justice strategy can make mistakes. Adversaries besides point to statistic that show that the death punishment does not always act as a deterrent.
The order may besides encounter legal obstacles. Organisations specified as the American civilian Liberty Union (ACLU) have already announced that they will monitor the situation and take legal action if necessary.
Summary
The restoration of the national death punishment by president Donald Trump is simply a decision on far-reaching consequences. It will affect not only the justice strategy in the US, but besides the public debate on human rights and the function of the state in justice. Whether the Trump administration will implement its assumptions remains an open issue. However, it is certain that this decision has sparked turbulent discussions that will proceed for the coming months.
Continued here:
Donald Trump restores national death punishment status
