commutations Archives - TheJointBlog

In Final Day of Office, President Obama Grants 330 More Commutations

January 20, 2017

In his final day in office, President Obama granted 330 more commutations, the most in a single day in U.S. history.

The move – which comes just two days after the last batch of clemency – brings the total number of commutations granted by President Obama to 1715; this is well more than the past 12 presidents combined. Included in this commutations were 568 people who were serving life sentences; this means they would have died in prison if not for Obama.

The vast majority of the commuted charges were for drug-related offenses.

For comparison sake, former President George W. Bush granted just 11 commutations, whereas Bill Clinton granted 61

President Obama Grants 102 More Pardons, Brings Total to 774, More than Last 11 Presidents Combined

October 11, 2016October 7, 2016

President Obama yesterday commuted the sentences of 102 more people, the “vast majority” of which have been in prison for nonviolent drug-related offenses. This brings the total number of pardons granted by Obama to 774, more than the number of commutations issued by the last 11 presidents combined.

“The vast majority of today’s grants were for individuals serving unduly harsh sentences for drug-related crimes under outdated sentencing laws,” said White House counsel Neil Eggleston in a press release. “With today’s grants, the President has commuted 774 sentences, more than the previous 11 presidents combined. With a total of 590 commutations this year, President Obama has now commuted the sentences of more individuals in one year than in any other single year in our nation’s history.”

Obama Pardons 111 More Drug Offenders, 35 Serving Life Sentences

August 30, 2016

President Obama has commuted the sentences of 111 people in federal prison over nonviolent drug crimes. 35 of these people were serving life sentences, meaning they would have died in prison if Obama didn’t grant them this pardon.

The 111 commutations brings Obama’s August total to 325, the most ever in a single month. On August 4th he commuted the sentences of 214 people, which was the largest single-day grant of commutations in United States history (67 of these commutations were life sentences). In total, Obama has commuted the sentences of 673 people, well more than the past nine presidents combined.

President Obama Commutes 22 Drug Sentences, Including 8 Lifetime Sentences

March 31, 2015

President Obama today commuted the sentences of 22 convicted federal drug offenders, including eight serving life sentences. This action doubles the number of commutations the President has issued since taking office in 2009, and is double the total amount of commutations given out by former President Bush during his eight years in office.

“Had they been sentenced under current laws and policies, many of these individuals would have already served their time and paid their debt to society,” White House counsel Neil Eggleston said in a statement announcing the commutations. “Because many were convicted under an outdated sentencing regime, they served years — in some cases more than a decade — longer than individuals convicted today of the same crime.”