Court Halts Trump Plan to Move Death Row Inmates/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge temporarily blocked transfers of former death row inmates. The ruling cited due process concerns over planned Supermax placements. The case centers on inmates whose death sentences were commuted.
Quick Look: Court Halts Supermax Transfers
- 20 inmates challenged redesignation to ADX Florence
- Judge cites potential Fifth Amendment violations
- Biden commuted 37 federal death sentences in 2024
- Trump ordered stricter confinement conditions
- Lawsuit alleges transfer process was predetermined
Judge Blocks Trump Administration Plan to Transfer Former Death Row Inmates to Supermax Prison
WASHINGTON — A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from transferring 20 inmates whose death sentences were commuted to the nation’s most secure federal prison, ruling that the process used to move them likely violated constitutional protections.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a preliminary injunction late Wednesday preventing the inmates from being transferred to ADX Florence — commonly known as the federal “Supermax” facility — in Colorado while their lawsuit proceeds. Kelly warned that the government cannot use what he described as a potentially predetermined or “sham” process when deciding where inmates will serve life sentences.
The ruling centers on prisoners whose death sentences were commuted by former President Joe Biden in December 2024, just weeks before President Donald Trump returned to office. Biden converted the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row to life imprisonment without parole.
Shortly after taking office, Trump issued an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to ensure the inmates were housed “in conditions consistent with the monstrosity of their crimes and the threats they pose.”
Due Process Concerns at Center of Ruling
Judge Kelly concluded that the Bureau of Prisons appeared to have already determined that the inmates would be sent to ADX Florence, regardless of any individualized review. That, he wrote, raises serious Fifth Amendment due process concerns.
“The Constitution requires that whenever the government seeks to deprive a person of a liberty or property interest that the Due Process Clause protects — whether that person is a notorious prisoner or a law-abiding citizen — the process it provides cannot be a sham,” Kelly wrote in his opinion.
Kelly, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, said that at least for now, the inmates will remain in their current facilities, including the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, where many were held before their sentences were commuted.
Government: Prison Designations Within Bureau’s Authority
Attorneys for the Justice Department argued that the Bureau of Prisons has broad discretion to determine where inmates are housed.
“BOP’s designation decisions are within its exclusive purview and are intended to preserve the safety of inmates, employees, and surrounding communities,” government lawyers wrote in court filings.
They also contended that conditions at ADX Florence do not constitute cruel and unusual punishment and are not legally atypical for prisoners convicted of serious crimes.
However, the judge found that the plaintiffs had shown a likelihood of success on their claim that they were denied a meaningful opportunity to contest the redesignation decisions.
Inside ADX Florence
The Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, is widely regarded as the most restrictive federal facility in the country. It has housed some of the most notorious criminals in U.S. custody, including Ted Kaczynski, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Attorneys for the inmates described ADX Florence as “unmatched in its draconian conditions,” arguing that prisoners there often spend nearly 23 hours a day in isolation, with minimal human contact and limited views beyond their cells.
“The categorical redesignations challenged here deprived Plaintiffs of an opportunity to show why they should not be condemned to a life bereft of human contact,” the inmates’ lawyers wrote.
What Happens Next?
The preliminary injunction blocks the transfers while the lawsuit continues. The court will now examine whether the Bureau of Prisons’ review process complied with constitutional standards and whether the administration can proceed with the transfers after providing additional procedural safeguards.
The case adds to broader legal battles surrounding Trump’s executive actions on criminal justice and prison policy, and it underscores ongoing tensions between executive authority and constitutional due process rights.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.