President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of almost 1,500 people, the largest one-day act of presidential clemency
President Joe Biden has commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 individuals who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic, while also pardoning 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes. This marks the largest single-day act of clemency in modern U.S. history.
The commutations apply to those who have spent at least one year on home confinement after their release. Many inmates were initially released to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in overcrowded prison settings, where the virus spread rapidly. At the peak of the pandemic, one in five prisoners had contracted COVID-19, according to data from The Associated Press.
Biden signaled his intention to continue reviewing clemency petitions and hinted at additional actions in the weeks ahead. The previous record for single-day clemency was held by former President Barack Obama, who commuted 330 sentences just before leaving office in 2017.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a statement. “As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to those who have shown remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunities for them to contribute to their communities and addressing disparities in sentencing, especially for nonviolent drug offenses.”
The recipients of clemency range in age from 36 to 75 and include both men and women convicted of nonviolent crimes such as drug offenses, fraud, or theft. Many have demonstrated significant rehabilitation, including contributions to their communities. Examples include a church deacon who works as an addiction and youth counselor, a doctoral student in molecular biosciences, a decorated military veteran, and a woman who leads emergency response teams during natural disasters.
One notable recipient, Trynitha Fulton, 46, from Louisiana, was pardoned for her role in a payroll fraud scheme during her tenure as a New Orleans middle school teacher in the early 2000s. Sentenced to three years of probation in 2008, Fulton has since earned a master’s degree and now leads a nonprofit organization that provides meals, clothing, shelter, and mental health support to New Orleans youth.
“The pardon gives me a sense of freedom,” Fulton said in a statement to the AP. “It has been a mental barrier, limiting my ability to live a full life. This inspires me to make more impactful decisions both personally and professionally.”
Biden has previously granted 122 commutations and 21 pardons, including broad pardons for those convicted of simple marijuana possession on federal land and individuals penalized under a now-repealed military ban on consensual same-sex relationships.