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Biden commutes roughly 1,500 sentences and pardons 39 people in biggest single-day act of clemency
https://apnews.com/article/biden-pardons-clemency-4432002d67334e6716c2776fd73f3cc8WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic and is pardoning 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes. It’s the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
The commutations announced Thursday are for people who have served out home confinement sentences for at least one year after they were released. Prisons were uniquely bad for spreading the virus and some inmates were released in part to stop the spread. At one point, 1 in 5 prisoners had COVID-19, according to a tally kept by The Associated Press.
Biden said he would be taking more steps in the weeks ahead and would continue to review clemency petitions. The second largest single-day act of clemency was by Barack Obama, with 330, shortly before leaving office in 2017.
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Link to tweet
Today, I’m pardoning 39 people with non-violent crimes who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, and I’m commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 others – many of whom would have received lower sentences today.
America was built on second chances. That's what these pardons and commutations represent.
America was built on second chances. That's what these pardons and commutations represent.
