Louisiana DA seeks death penalty for Thomas Sanders after Biden commutation

Thomas Sanders, previously sentenced to death in 2014 for the kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts, had his sentence commuted to life in prison by former President Joe Biden as part of a broader clemency action. Despite this federal commutation, a Catahoula Parish Grand Jury in Louisiana has now indicted Sanders on state charges of first-degree murder for the same crime, with local prosecutors announcing their intent to seek the death penalty. District Attorney Bradley Burget criticized Biden’s decision, arguing it disregarded the severity of Sanders' crimes and the suffering of the victims. The new indictment follows the original decision by state authorities to defer prosecution to the federal government, which resulted in Sanders' conviction after he confessed to killing both Lexis and her mother, Suellen Roberts, during a 2010 cross-country trip. Louisiana officials emphasize that the federal commutation does not preclude state-level prosecution or the pursuit of the death penalty. It may take until 2026 for Sanders to face trial on these state charges.