President Biden made a significant announcement on Sunday as he exercised his clemency power to grant pardons to five individuals and commute the sentences of two others. In a statement, Biden emphasized the importance of second chances, stating that America is a country founded on the principle of giving individuals the opportunity for redemption.
During his tenure as President, Biden has taken unprecedented steps in the realm of clemency, surpassing all his predecessors in the number of individual pardons and commutations issued. “Today, I am exercising my clemency power to pardon 5 individuals and commute the sentences of 2 individuals who have demonstrated remorse, rehabilitation, and redemption,” Biden declared. He highlighted the contributions made by these individuals to the betterment of their communities.
Among the notable recipients of Biden’s clemency actions was a posthumous pardon for Marcus Garvey, a revered civil rights leader who was convicted of mail fraud in 1923. Garvey’s legacy includes the establishment of the first Black-owned shipping line and the founding of the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Advocates for Garvey contended that his conviction was driven by political motives.
In another gesture of mercy, Biden pardoned Don Scott, the former Speaker of Virginia’s House of Delegates, who had been convicted of a non-violent drug offense in 1994. Scott, a Navy veteran who pursued a career as an attorney after his release from prison, reflected on his journey from adversity to becoming the first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates in Virginia’s long history.
Additionally, Biden extended pardons to individuals such as Daryl Chambers, a gun violence prevention advocate from Delaware, and Ravi Ragbir, an immigrant rights advocate from New York and New Jersey. Both individuals had been convicted of non-violent drug offenses in the past. Kemba Smith Pradia, who had her sentence commuted by President Bill Clinton in 2000, was also granted a pardon by Biden for her non-violent drug offense in 1994. Pradia has since dedicated herself to promoting criminal justice and racial equity.
The President’s acts of clemency also included the commutation of sentences for two individuals, Robin Peoples and Michelle West. Peoples, serving a 111-year sentence for crimes committed in the late 1990s, is set to have his term reduced given changes in current law that would result in a lower sentence today. West, who had been sentenced to life in prison for crimes spanning from 1987 to 1993, received overwhelming support for clemency from civil rights activists, fellow inmates, and lawmakers.
In the final weeks of his term, Biden has made a concerted effort to address issues of justice and mercy through his clemency actions. Notably, he has focused on granting relief to non-violent offenders, commuting the sentences of individuals on death row to life imprisonment, and even issuing a full pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.
The President’s commitment to upholding the values
