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President Biden introduced Friday morning he’s commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 inmates as the tip of his presidency attracts close to.
The commutations are for individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses “who’re serving disproportionately lengthy sentences” in comparison with what they might obtain if sentenced beneath as we speak’s regulation.
“At the moment’s clemency motion offers aid for people who acquired prolonged sentences based mostly on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, in addition to outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden stated in a press release.
The president stated now could be the time to “equalize these sentencing disparities” as acknowledged by way of the Honest Sentencing Act of 2010 and the First Step Act of 2018.
BIDEN COMMUTES SENTENCES OF 37 FEDERAL DEATH ROW INMATES IN FINAL MONTH OF PRESIDENCY
President Biden has issued one other act of clemency by commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 inmates convicted of non-violent drug offenses within the last days of his presidency. (AP/Ben Curtis)
“This motion is a crucial step towards righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and offering deserving people the chance to return to their households and communities after spending far an excessive amount of time behind bars,” he continued.
The choice places Biden 1000’s of circumstances forward of all different presidents who’ve issued acts of clemency throughout their phrases.
“With this motion, I’ve now issued extra particular person pardons and commutations than any president in U.S. historical past,” Biden stated.
Biden has issued extra particular person pardons and commutations than some other US president following Friday’s clemency resolution. (AP Picture/Andrew Harnik)
BIDEN SETS RECORD WITH FIRST-TERM CLEMENCY GRANTS, HERE’S HOW OTHER PRESIDENTS RANK
Whereas granting clemency shouldn’t be unusual for a president, Biden has come beneath bipartisan hearth for who he has determined to pardon or commute sentences for.
On the finish of December, he selected to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 males on federal demise row – serving to them escape execution and sending them to jail for all times with out parole as an alternative.
He was additionally criticized for pardoning his son, Hunter, of all crimes he “has dedicated or might have dedicated” in opposition to U.S. regulation from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024. Hunter was convicted final yr of gun and tax crimes in two separate federal circumstances.
President Biden was criticized by each political events for his resolution to pardon his son, Hunter, for all crimes he dedicated or might have dedicated throughout a 10-year interval. (AP Picture/Andrew Harnik)
Biden additionally boasted about finishing the “largest single-day grant of clemency” on Dec. 12 when he commuted sentences for 1,500 individuals and pardoned 39 others, most of whom had been already serving time in dwelling confinement due to selections made throughout the COVID-19 period.
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The president added that he’s “pleased with [his] report on clemency” and stated he’ll “proceed to evaluation further commutations and pardons” forward of his last full day in workplace on Jan. 19.
There are 1,947 individuals awaiting to be pardoned as soon as they full their sentence and round 6,625 circumstances awaiting commutation after Friday’s resolution, in keeping with Jan. 13 statistics from the Division of Justice.
Biden commutes almost 2,500 extra sentences in last days of presidency
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