Federal death row transfers continue as eight former death row inmates arrive at a notorious Colorado prison. The Justice Department confirmed that it relocated the inmates Tuesday to the U.S. Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility in Florence, Colorado, also known as “ADX.”
This move follows Attorney General Pam Bondi’s vow to undo clemency actions from the previous administration.In late December, the Biden administration commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates.
Now, Bondi’s team actively works to reduce the impact of those controversial commutations. Each of the eight inmates committed first-degree murder under federal law.
Some killed fellow inmates while already serving time. Others committed brutal murders that stunned entire communities.One inmate murdered two campers in the Ouachita National Forest in 2003. Another kidnapped a bank president, tied him to a hoist, and threw him off a bridge. These crimes played a major role in the decision to transfer them to the country’s highest-security prison.ADX remains the only federal “supermax” facility in the United States.
Officials house some of the country’s most dangerous criminals there, including Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and “El Chapo.” The prison staff isolate violent offenders from the rest of the prison population by design. Officials expect to complete more federal death row transfers soon.
They told reporters that, in total, they plan to move all 37 commuted inmates to ADX by early next year. Meanwhile, Bondi leads this effort as part of her broader plan to hold violent criminals fully accountable. To explain further, a Justice Department memo clarified the reasoning behind the transfers.
It stated that confinement conditions must match the threat level these inmates pose. As a result, Bondi directed staff to review each case and apply new restrictions wherever possible.
Although Biden’s commutations cannot be legally reversed, Bondi’s plan applies the strictest custody rules available. Her goal is to ensure that these inmates serve their time under severe and appropriate conditions.
Bondi met with victims’ families earlier this year. Many expressed outrage over Biden’s actions. Several said they had not been notified of the commutations in advance.
“President Biden’s decisions disrespected victims and undermined justice,” Bondi said in a statement. “These federal death row transfers ensure that these murderers spend the rest of their lives in harsh, secure conditions.” Bondi’s move signals a clear shift. She plans to continue undoing parts of Biden’s criminal justice agenda and focus on punishing violent offenders.
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