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| Obama shortens prison sentences for 61 drug offenders | |
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| Barack Obama on Wednesday commuted the sentences of 61 federal prisoners, all of whom were being held on drug charges. | Barack Obama on Wednesday commuted the sentences of 61 federal prisoners, all of whom were being held on drug charges. |
| This announcement came one day after the president criticized the previous American policy of engaging in a “war on drugs”, telling a conference on the opiate epidemic: “For too long we’ve viewed drug addiction through the lens of criminal justice.” | This announcement came one day after the president criticized the previous American policy of engaging in a “war on drugs”, telling a conference on the opiate epidemic: “For too long we’ve viewed drug addiction through the lens of criminal justice.” |
| Those who received reduced prison terms on Wednesday were primarily charged with distribution of drugs and had been sentenced when the government was most aggressively prosecuting people with drug charges, a tactic that disproportionately punished men of color. | Those who received reduced prison terms on Wednesday were primarily charged with distribution of drugs and had been sentenced when the government was most aggressively prosecuting people with drug charges, a tactic that disproportionately punished men of color. |
| Jesse Webster, of Chicago, was among those whose life imprisonment was commuted on Wednesday. He was sentenced on 21 March 1996 for cocaine charges and filing two false income tax returns. | Jesse Webster, of Chicago, was among those whose life imprisonment was commuted on Wednesday. He was sentenced on 21 March 1996 for cocaine charges and filing two false income tax returns. |
| Webster’s experience was captured in a December 2013 New York Times article that included a letter Webster sent to Obama. “You are my final hope,” he wrote to the president. | Webster’s experience was captured in a December 2013 New York Times article that included a letter Webster sent to Obama. “You are my final hope,” he wrote to the president. |
| Webster, a former cocaine dealer, turned himself in once he learned the police were looking for him. The prosecutor offered leniency if Webster became an informant, which he declined, and he was eventually sentenced to life in prison. | Webster, a former cocaine dealer, turned himself in once he learned the police were looking for him. The prosecutor offered leniency if Webster became an informant, which he declined, and he was eventually sentenced to life in prison. |
| He missed most of his daughter Jasmine’s childhood, because she was four years old when he was imprisoned. | He missed most of his daughter Jasmine’s childhood, because she was four years old when he was imprisoned. |
| The person who served the longest term is Robert Lee Lane, of Bradenton, Florida, who was sentenced for possession of crack with intent to distribute on 3 May 1990. His life imprisonment was commuted to 28 July, the same date most of the people on the list will be released. | The person who served the longest term is Robert Lee Lane, of Bradenton, Florida, who was sentenced for possession of crack with intent to distribute on 3 May 1990. His life imprisonment was commuted to 28 July, the same date most of the people on the list will be released. |
| Others’ release dates were scattered, culminating in March 2017, when Ismael Rosa, of Chicago, will be released after being held on cocaine charges. | Others’ release dates were scattered, culminating in March 2017, when Ismael Rosa, of Chicago, will be released after being held on cocaine charges. |
| Pro bono legal project Clemency Project 2014 was involved with clemency applications for 25 of the people granted commutations. “With so many people waking up each day with the hope that they too will find mercy and redemption, I hope that today’s grants portend ever more grants over the remaining ten months left in President Obama’s term,” said Cynthia W Roseberry, project manager for Clemency Project 2014, in a statement. | Pro bono legal project Clemency Project 2014 was involved with clemency applications for 25 of the people granted commutations. “With so many people waking up each day with the hope that they too will find mercy and redemption, I hope that today’s grants portend ever more grants over the remaining ten months left in President Obama’s term,” said Cynthia W Roseberry, project manager for Clemency Project 2014, in a statement. |
| Obama granted pardons to people from 24 states, including Hawaii, Wyoming and North Carolina. | Obama granted pardons to people from 24 states, including Hawaii, Wyoming and North Carolina. |
| The Wednesday announcement marked the first clemency grants Obama issued since December, when he granted the largest set of commutations in his presidency yet, 95 federal prisoners and two pardons. With that move, he had reduced more sentences than any of the last six presidents, combined. | The Wednesday announcement marked the first clemency grants Obama issued since December, when he granted the largest set of commutations in his presidency yet, 95 federal prisoners and two pardons. With that move, he had reduced more sentences than any of the last six presidents, combined. |
| He has now commuted the sentences of 245 people. | He has now commuted the sentences of 245 people. |
| But the announcement was part of a White House effort announced in 2014 that was expected to reduce the sentences of thousands of drug offenders. In January, the US pardon attorney responsible for overseeing the process for granting clemency resigned, stating in a letter obtained by USA Today that she could not complete her job effectively because of a lack of US justice department resources. | But the announcement was part of a White House effort announced in 2014 that was expected to reduce the sentences of thousands of drug offenders. In January, the US pardon attorney responsible for overseeing the process for granting clemency resigned, stating in a letter obtained by USA Today that she could not complete her job effectively because of a lack of US justice department resources. |
| “Given that I have been instructed to set aside thousands of petitions for pardon and traditional commutation, I cannot fulfill my responsibilities,” Deborah Leff wrote in her resignation letter. | “Given that I have been instructed to set aside thousands of petitions for pardon and traditional commutation, I cannot fulfill my responsibilities,” Deborah Leff wrote in her resignation letter. |
| Norman L Reimer, executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and a partner in the project to process inmate applications, said: “The 61 grants today add to an increasingly impressive total, but we urge the President and his team to vastly increase the pace, and continue granting commutations on a regular basis throughout the remainder of his term.” | Norman L Reimer, executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and a partner in the project to process inmate applications, said: “The 61 grants today add to an increasingly impressive total, but we urge the President and his team to vastly increase the pace, and continue granting commutations on a regular basis throughout the remainder of his term.” |
| Deputy attorney general Sally Yates said in a statement: “Through cooperative bipartisan efforts with Congress, the US Sentencing Commission and reform advocacy groups, we hope to soon realize systemic change in the length of prison sentences for these low-level drug offenders and to provide better tools for a safe and successful reentry into the community.” | Deputy attorney general Sally Yates said in a statement: “Through cooperative bipartisan efforts with Congress, the US Sentencing Commission and reform advocacy groups, we hope to soon realize systemic change in the length of prison sentences for these low-level drug offenders and to provide better tools for a safe and successful reentry into the community.” |