United States President, Joe Biden, on Thursday, announced the granting of pardons to 39 individuals convicted of non-violent crimes and the commutation of sentences for nearly 1,500 others.
The move comes just over a week after Biden issued an unconditional pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.
The individuals whose sentences were commuted had been placed in home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The White House explained that many of these people would have received shorter sentences under current laws, policies, and practices. Civil rights groups had previously identified several of these cases as examples of unjust incarceration.
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In a statement, Biden said, “As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses.”
He added that his administration would continue to review clemency petitions and that more actions were planned in the coming weeks.
The White House stated that Biden’s clemency actions marked the largest number granted in a single day.
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, set to assume office on January 20, has pledged to pardon individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack on his first day in office, raising anticipation of extensive clemency measures under his administration.
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