President Obama Commutes Sentences of Over 200 Federal Prisoners
President Obama just commuted the sentences of over 200 federal prisoners, which is a record for the most commuted in a single day by a sitting president.
The president posted a lengthy Facebook note explaining the decision. He posted a letter he received from a young man who got a life sentence for a nonviolent drug charge, and said it moved him:
[T]his is a country that believes in second chances. So we’ve got to make sure that our criminal justice system works for everyone. We’ve got to make sure that it keeps our streets safe while also making sure that an entire class of people like Sherman isn’t relegated to a life on the margins.
Last year, after he served more than 20 long years in prison, I commuted Sherman’s sentence and those of many others who were serving unjust and outdated prison sentences.
And today, I’m commuting the sentences of an additional 214 men and women who are just as deserving of a second chance. Altogether, I’ve commuted more sentences than the past nine presidents combined, and I am not done yet.
These acts of clemency are important steps for families like Sherman’s and steer our country in a better direction, but they alone won’t fix our criminal justice system. We need Congress to pass meaningful federal sentencing reform that will allow us to more effectively use taxpayer dollars to protect the public.
The White House website today says that Obama has “commuted the sentences of 562 men and women incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws, including 197 individuals who were serving life sentences.” The majority of the sentences have been given for nonviolent drug offenders.
[image via Shutterstock]
— —
Comments
↓ Scroll down for comments ↓