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Alice Johnson: Trump grants Kardashian's clemency plea | Alice Johnson: Trump grants Kardashian's clemency plea |
(35 minutes later) | |
President Trump has granted clemency to 63-year-old great grandmother Alice Johnson, who has been serving life in prison for a non-violent drug offence. | President Trump has granted clemency to 63-year-old great grandmother Alice Johnson, who has been serving life in prison for a non-violent drug offence. |
The case was highlighted last week when Kim Kardashian West met Mr Trump to lobby for her release. | The case was highlighted last week when Kim Kardashian West met Mr Trump to lobby for her release. |
The White House said she had been a model prisoner and worked hard to rehabilitate herself. | The White House said she had been a model prisoner and worked hard to rehabilitate herself. |
Johnson was jailed in 1996, with 15 others, for taking part in a cocaine distribution ring. | Johnson was jailed in 1996, with 15 others, for taking part in a cocaine distribution ring. |
She was convicted on charges of attempted possession of drugs and money-laundering in Tennessee and is expected to be released soon. | |
Johnson met the criteria for former President Barack Obama's Clemency Project 2014 but was turned down for release just days before the end of his term. | Johnson met the criteria for former President Barack Obama's Clemency Project 2014 but was turned down for release just days before the end of his term. |
What did the White House say? | What did the White House say? |
"Ms Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behaviour and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades," the White House said in a statement. | "Ms Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behaviour and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades," the White House said in a statement. |
"Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison, and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates." | "Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison, and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates." |
The statement added that the administration believed in being tough on crime but believed in giving a second chance to those who tried to better themselves in prison. | The statement added that the administration believed in being tough on crime but believed in giving a second chance to those who tried to better themselves in prison. |
How did Kim Kardashian get involved? | How did Kim Kardashian get involved? |
Kardashian West joined what has been a long-running campaign for Johnson's freedom, spearheaded by CAN-DO Clemency, friends and family. | |
She was first alerted to the issue after spotting a video about the case on social media. | She was first alerted to the issue after spotting a video about the case on social media. |
Kardashian West visited the White House with her lawyer, Shawn Holley, and had also linked up with Mr Trump's son-in-law and presidential adviser, Jared Kushner, who has been lobbying for prison reform. | Kardashian West visited the White House with her lawyer, Shawn Holley, and had also linked up with Mr Trump's son-in-law and presidential adviser, Jared Kushner, who has been lobbying for prison reform. |
In a tweet shortly after the White House announcement, Kardashian West described Alice Johnson's clemency as inspirational. | In a tweet shortly after the White House announcement, Kardashian West described Alice Johnson's clemency as inspirational. |
Why the campaign for Alice Johnson's release? | |
Family and supporters said Johnson had been a model inmate, whose activities included helping in the prison hospice. | |
Amy Povah, the founder of CAN-DO Clemency, said she had always stood out as "exceptional". | |
"She's not bitter or angry, she's this ray of sunshine." | |
Describing her crime, Johnson maintains she passed messages between sellers and buyers, and did not sell drugs. | |
In a piece written in 2016, she described how her life spiralled out of control after divorce and the death of her son in a motorbike accident. | |
"I made some very poor decisions out of desperation... to make ends meet." |