Biden pardons 39 people and commutes 1,500 sentences in biggest single-day act of clemency
President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of around 1,500 people placed on home detention during the Covid pandemic and pardoned 39 Americans convicted of non-violent crimes.
In what is said to be the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history, clemency has been granted to those who completed at least a year of home detention after their release.
Biden announced on Thursday that he will take additional steps in the coming weeks and continue to review clemency petitions.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances," he said.
Biden said he wants to "extend mercy" after US prisons became hotspots for Covid-19, with one in five prisons infected at one point. The situation grew so bad that some prisoners were released to curb the spread.
Biden added: "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 offences.”
White House lawyers said that those pardoned for non-violent crimes, such as drug offences, have turned their lives around.
Who are some of the people Joe Biden pardoned?
A woman who led emergency response teams during natural disasters
A church deacon who has worked as an addiction and youth counsellor
A PhD student in molecular biosciences
A decorated military veteran
This all comes after Biden pardoned his son Hunter, who was prosecuted for gun and tax crimes.
The president is also facing pressure from advocacy groups to issue widespread pardons, including for those on death row, before Donald Trump returns to power in January.
He is also considering preemptive pardons for people who investigated Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and are fearful of a possible retribution when he takes office.
The second largest single-day act of clemency was by Barack Obama, with 330, shortly before leaving office in 2017.
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What is clemency, and why do presidents grant it at the end of their terms?
Clemency refers to the president's power to pardon, which erases guilt and punishment, or commutes sentences.
This reduces which reduces or eliminates the punishment but does not exonerate the wrongdoing.
It is customary for presidents to use this power at the end of their term to forgive crimes or shorten prison terms.
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