A Letter from DPF President Mike Farrell: ‘Restoring Justice, Rejecting Fear’
President Trump’s executive order, “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety,” is not a step toward safety—it is a step backward. Cloaked in rhetoric designed to incite fear and hatred, this order attempts to undo the hard-won progress made in reducing and, in some places, abolishing state executions.
“This order is the arrogant command of a president who believes, and wants the public to believe, that he is all powerful and can put people to death as he wishes.”
– Mike Farrell
Let us be clear: this order is a calculated publicity stunt. The president’s claims that the death penalty deters heinous crimes are not just misleading—they are demonstrably false. Decades of rigorous studies show that state-sanctioned killing does not make communities safer. In fact, it has the opposite effect, brutalizing society and fostering cycles of violence. A landmark three-decade study by the Death Penalty Policy Project revealed that states without the death penalty, or those with moratoria on executions, are statistically safer for both the public and law enforcement than states where executions are common.
The president’s assertion that capital punishment is for the benefit of Americans is nothing more than a racist dog whistle. Evidence confirms what we already know: the death penalty is applied disproportionately, targeting defendants of color when victims are white. Such blatant inequality does not serve justice—it undermines it.
Furthermore, Trump’s statement that his order “counteracts politicians and judges who subvert the law” is a dangerous affront to our democracy. This authoritarian rhetoric attempts to elevate the executive branch above Congress, which represents the will of the people, and the judiciary, which interprets the Constitution. These branches exist to provide checks and balances, not to bow to presidential commands.
By directing the Attorney General to review whether the 37 men whose death sentences were commuted under President Biden can still be prosecuted and executed, this order also disregards states’ rights, brazenly interfering in state decisions and processes. It is a chilling display of power—one that aims to dehumanize and diminish us all.
But we will not be diminished. This order does not weaken our resolve; it strengthens it. We are more committed than ever to ending state-sanctioned killing. This policy, designed to stifle and suppress, has instead energized us. We will continue to stand for human dignity, justice, and life.
Thank you for your unwavering support in this fight. Together, we will ensure that justice is not defined by fear or cruelty but by compassion and fairness.
In solidarity,
Mike Farrell
President, Death Penalty Focus
