Obama commutes sentences of 98 inmates Thursday
(Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)
President Obama commuted the sentences of 98 inmates Thursday, continuing his efforts to release federal inmates sentenced to harsh prison terms for nonviolent drug offenses. Nearly half the group 42 people had been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Obama has criticized the impacts of severe sentences Canada Goose Outlet imposed during the height of the country’s war on drugs. During a speech last year, the president said that the criminal justice system in the United States was “not as fair as it should be,” adding, “Mass incarceration makes our canada goose factory sale country worse off, and we need to do something about it.”
[How do presidential commutations and pardons work?]
In a blog post, White House counsel W. Neil Eggleston wrote that the 98 men and women granted clemencyThursday had Canada Goose online proven they deserved the chance to rebuild their lives outside prison.
“While there has been much attention paid to the number of commutations issued by the President, at the core, we must remember that canada goose black friday sale there are personal stories behind these number,” he said. “These are individuals many of whom made mistakes at a young age who have diligently worked to rehabilitate themselves while incarcerated… For the 42 individuals originally canadian goose jacket sentenced to life imprisonment, today’s news will carry special weight when they learn that they will be able to return to their families and communities.
In August, Obama commutedthe sentences of 214 inmates, setting a single day record for his administration, and the 111 commutations he handed down a few weeks later also helped set a single month canada goose clearance sale record. Earlier this month, cheap canada goose uk Obama granted clemency to an additional 102 inmates.
[One year out: What happens after their sentences were commuted]
Margie Peerce, a partner at the firm Ballard Spahr who sits on the steering committee ofClemency Project2014, said in an interview buy canada goose jacket that while some have been frustrated with the rate of the president’s commutations, they need to take into account that “you had canada goose uk shop an initiative that had to start from scratch,” where 4,000 lawyers had to be trained to handle the petitions filed by roughly 37,000 inmates. There was a delay in getting the pre sentencing report for the inmates, which were required as part of their application, and each case had to be assessed individually.
“I’m frankly amazed at how much has gone through,” Peerce said. “If you’d had Canada Goose Online this infrastructure already in place, it would have gone much faster.”
Peerce’s firm represented three inmates who received clemency Thursday, includingBrett Poore, who was sentenced to 262 months in prison and five years supervised release in connection with methamphetamine charges. Poore earned his GED in prison, Peerce canada goose coats noted, and took maintenance classes and other courses while incarcerated.
“What is consistent throughout, and one of the things that has amazed me throughout this process, is that even people who are serving life sentences have buy canada goose jacket cheap tried to better themselves while in prison,” she said.
Some activists are pushing for the president to grant clemency to all nonviolent offenders who have served more than 10 years in federal prison. Jessica Jackson Sloan, national director and co founder of the group cut50, said in an interview that Obama’s criticism of the nation’s harsh mandatory drug sentences has given all nonviolent offenders reason to believe that they could be freed by the end of his term.
“Now you’ve raised their hopes canadagooseonlineshop , and we hope the president grants their hopes,” she said, Canada Goose sale adding that her group is launching a public campaign to highlight 40 families that help embody why these sentences are unfair. “We’re definitely making the case, but we’re also making space” for him to do it.
Here is the full list of people who had their sentences commuted Tuesday (via the White House):
David Alan Aldridge Odessa, uk canada goose Tex. Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine and possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine; canada goose possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine; possession of equipment, chemicals Followers us , products and materials to manufacture methamphetamine; possession of a detectable amount of methamphetamine; purchasing more than nine (9) grams of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine during a 30 day period (six counts); Western District of Texas Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years supervised release; $35,000 fine (Aug. 13, 2009) Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 151 months imprisonment, and unpaid balance of the $35,000 fine remitted, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.
Marvin D. Anthony, Sr. Camden, Ark. Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base; Western District of Missouri Sentence: Life imprisonment; six years supervised release (Nov. 19, 2007) Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months imprisonment.
Darnell C. Billings Dolton, Ill. Offense: Distribution of 50 or more grams of cocaine canada goose uk black friday base; Central District of Illinois Sentence: Life canada goose coats on sale imprisonment (May 25, 2007) Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 188 months imprisonment. Offense: canada goose uk outlet Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base; use of a communication facility to commit a drug trafficking offense (eight counts); Western District of New York Sentence: 168 months imprisonment; 10 years supervised release (Jan. 11, 2002); amended to 240 months imprisonment (on remand) (July 18, 2003) Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on October 27, 2018, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.
Edward Lionel Blake Houston Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, aiding and abetting; Southern District of Texas Sentence: 360 months imprisonment; five years supervised Canada Goose Jackets release; $1,000 fine (Nov. 24, 1998) Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on February 24, 2017.
Wallace Bourgeois Jr. LaPlace, La. Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”); Eastern District of Louisiana; wire fraud; Eastern District of Louisiana Sentence: 240 months cheap Canada Goose imprisonment; 10 years supervised release (January 7, 2010); 12 months imprisonment (concurrent); three years supervised release (concurrent) (April 28, 2010)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on Oct. 27, 2018, conditioned upon enrollment canada goose store in residential drug treatment.
Shane Derek Brown Key West, Fla. Offense: Possession with intent to uk canada goose outlet distribute 50 grams or more of crack cocaine; Southern District of Florida Sentence: 262 months imprisonment; five years supervised release (Jan. 28, 2002) Commutation Grant: Canada Goose Parka Prison sentence commuted to expire on Feb. 24, 2017.
Mark Lamont Byrd St. Louis Offense: Possession with intent to distribute in excess of five grams of cocaine base; possession of a firearm during and canada goose clearance in relation to a drug trafficking crime; possession with intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base; Eastern District of Missouri Sentence: 180 Canada Goose Coats On Sale months imprisonment; five years supervised release (May 19, Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on Feb. 24, 2017.