EXPLAINER: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty

By MICHAEL TARM and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
The Associated Press

President Joe Biden campaigned on a pledge to work toward abolishing federal capital punishment. But his Justice Department continues to press for the death penalty in certain cases — even as a moratorium means no federal executions are likely to happen anytime soon. Advocates for abolishing capital punishment say mixed signals from the administration and silence from Biden drives home that the Democrat has not made good on his campaign promises. U.S. prosecutors this month opened a capital trial against Sayfullo Saipov, who killed eight people in an attack on a New York City bicycle path.