Biden commutes nearly 2,500 sentences, targets drug sentencing disparities

Jan 17

Listen

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 individuals convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, setting a new record for individual clemency actions by a U.S. president. The announcement came just three days before the end of his term, underscoring his focus on addressing disparities in the criminal justice system.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

The clemency actions targeted sentencing disparities tied to past differences between crack and powder cocaine penalties, as well as outdated enhancements for drug-related crimes. Biden highlighted the initiative to provide relief for individuals who received disproportionately long sentences under previous laws and practices.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

This announcement follows a series of recent clemency actions.

Last month, Biden commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals on home confinement during the pandemic and pardoned 39 nonviolent offenders. It marked the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.

The White House has not released the full list of individuals impacted by this latest action. Biden indicated that additional pardons and commutations may follow in the final days of his presidency.

He described these actions as part of broader efforts to address historic injustices in the criminal justice system. He looks to reunite individuals with their families and communities.

Biden’s clemency actions are a defining component of his administration’s focus on justice reform. The decisions are expected to have lasting implications for thousands of individuals and their families.

President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office Monday, Jan. 20.

Tags: Drug Enforcement Administration, Drugs, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Pardon

craig nigrelli

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS MAKING HISTORY IN HIS FINAL DAYS IN OFFICE, ANNOUNCING THE COMMUTATION OF NEARLY 25-HUNDRED SENTENCES FOR NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENSES. THE MOVE, REVEALED JUST THREE DAYS BEFORE THE END OF HIS TERM, BRINGS HIS TOTAL PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS TO A RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER, SURPASSING ANY PREVIOUS PRESIDENT.

THE CLEMENCY ACTIONS AIM TO TACKLE SENTENCING DISPARITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE LINKED TO PREVIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CRACK AND POWDER COCAINE PENALTIES AND OUTDATED DRUG CRIME ENHANCEMENTS. IN HIS STATEMENT, BIDEN SAID THE INITIATIVE OFFERS RELIEF TO THOSE WHO FACED DISPROPORTIONATELY LONG SENTENCES AND HELPS REUNITE DESERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS A SERIES OF RECENT ACTIONS BY BIDEN, INCLUDING LAST MONTH’S COMMUTATIONS OF SENTENCES FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS ON HOME CONFINEMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THE PARDONING OF 39 NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS. HE HAS ALSO COMMUTED SENTENCES FOR 37 FEDERAL DEATH ROW INMATES, CONVERTING THEIR PUNISHMENTS TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.

THE PRESIDENT ALSO ISSUED A PARDON FOR HIS SON HUNTER LAST MONTH – LEADING TO CRITICISM FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

WHILE THE WHITE HOUSE HAS NOT YET RELEASED THE FULL LIST OF THOSE IMPACTED BY THIS LATEST CLEMENCY, BIDEN SIGNALED THAT ADDITIONAL PARDONS AND COMMUTATIONS COULD FOLLOW IN HIS FINAL DAYS. THESE ACTIONS, ACCORDING TO THE PRESIDENT, AIM TO CORRECT “HISTORIC WRONGS” IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, OR LOG ON TO SAN.COM.