A resolution condemning the commutation of the death sentence of Anthony George Battle granted by President Biden on December 23, 2024.

Bill: 119-sres-24
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
Introduced: 2025-01-14
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Violent crime
Latest action: action_date: 2025-01-14
text: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR S140)

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-01-14
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution condemns the commutation of the death sentence of Anthony George Battle by President Biden.</p>

tv_txt: III 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 24 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 14, 2025 Mr. Cotton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Condemning the commutation of the death sentence of Anthony George Battle granted by President Biden on December 23, 2024.

1. Sense of the Senate regarding the commutation of the death sentence of Anthony George Battle granted by President Biden on December 23, 2024 It is the sense of the Senate that— (1) President Joseph R. Biden undermined the rule of law and robbed victims of justice when he commuted the death sentence of Anthony George Battle on December 23, 2024; (2) Anthony Battle was convicted of murdering his wife, a U.S. Marine, and sentenced to life imprisonment; (3) while Battle was serving his life sentence at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, he murdered a 31-year-old correctional officer named D’Antonio Washington by bludgeoning Washington in the back of the head repeatedly with a ball-peen hammer; (4) when Battle was questioned by investigators, he had no remorse and stated that he was happy he killed Washington; (5) this commutation is a reprehensible insult to the victims of Anthony Battle; (6) President Biden claimed that he commuted the death sentences of Anthony Battle and 36 other murderers out of a principled opposition to the death penalty but refused to commute the death sentences of the 3 most controversial death row inmates, demonstrating that President Biden was motivated by politics, not principles; and (7) the Senate unequivocally condemns this commutation.