Justice Dept. schedules three more inmate executions for Trump lame-duck period

The Justice Department (DOJ) on Friday announced the executions of three federal death row inmates, with each slated to occur before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20.

Alfred Bourgeois, Cory Johnson and Dustin John Higgs, charged with murdering a child, killing seven people, and kidnapping and murdering three women, respectively, are slated to be put to death on three different dates in December and January.

Higgs, convicted of offenses against three D.C. women in 1996, will now be executed on Jan. 15, just days before Biden will take office.

United States Attorney General William P. Barr’s announcement comes in the wake of news regarding three other planned executions also slated for Trump’s lame-duck period.

The wave of scheduled executions demonstrates hesitancy over Biden’s declaration that he will reverse the Trump administration’s resumption of capital punishment once he takes over the Oval Office and incentivize states to halt their executions.

Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center Robert Dunham said executions during a White House transition period are extremely unusual, according to The New York Times.

The DOJ did not respond to The Hill’s previous request for comment over the planned executions.