President Joe Biden’s decision to commute the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates to life without parole has sparked intense debate over the morality of the death penalty and justice for victims’ families.

Critics, including President-elect Donald Trump’s spokesman and some Democrats, argued Biden was overstepping his authority, while some anti-death penalty activists felt he didn’t go far enough.

Biden, citing his past as a public defender and his opposition to the death penalty, defended his actions, calling them a step toward ending federal executions.

However, he did not commute the sentences of three high-profile cases, including Dylann Roof, who was convicted for the 2015 Charleston church shooting, USA Today has reported.

Biden had promised during his campaign to end the death penalty, a stance influenced by his Catholic faith and pressure from activists, including Pope Francis.

Written by B.C. Begley