President Obama Has Now Commuted the Sentences of 248 Individuals

[sheshe2]

Summary: Underscoring his commitment to reforming our criminal justice system, President Obama will meet with past commutation recipients to discuss the reentry process..






Today, the President announced 61 new grants of commutation to individuals serving years in prison under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws. More than one-third of them were serving life sentences. To date, the President has now commuted the sentences of 248 individuals – more than the previous six Presidents combined. And, in total, he has commuted 92 life sentences.




Underscoring his commitment not just to clemency, but to helping those who earn their freedom make the most of their second chance, the President will meet today with commutation recipients from both his Administration and the previous administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. During the meeting, the commutation recipients will discuss their firsthand experiences with the reentry process and ways that the process can be strengthened to give every individual the resources he or she needs to transition from prison and lead a fulfilling, productive life.

Building on this conversation, tomorrow the White House will host a briefing titled Life After Clemency with advocates, academics, and Administration officials to discuss and share ideas on the President’s clemency initiative and ways to improve paths to reentry. In addition to officials from the White House and the Department of Justice, experts, academics, and commutation recipients will share their expertise and insights on returning to society after years behind bars. To watch the briefing live, tune in tomorrow, Thursday, March 31, at 2:00 PM EDT at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

Throughout the remainder of his time in office, the President is committed to continuing to issue more grants of clemency as well as to strengthening rehabilitation programs. As he wrote in a letter to the 61 individuals receiving clemency today:

“The power to grant pardons and commutations… embodies the basic belief in our democracy that people deserve a second chance after having made a mistake in their lives that led to a conviction under our laws.”

Read More: https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/03/30/president-obama-has-now-commuted-sentences-248-individuals

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Some images from the Obama Diary

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“America Is A Nation Of Second Chances”


The White House
✔ ‎‎@WhiteHouse

"I believe America is a nation of second chances" —@POTUS on granting clemency to 61 people: http://go.wh.gov/xAN2ft

5:20 PM - 30 Mar 2016


Valerie Jarrett
✔ ‎‎@vj44

.@POTUS invited the group to @busboysandpoets! He showed people what a second chance can look like.

4:36 PM - 30 Mar 2016







Read More: http://theobamadiary.com/2016/03/30/chat-away-801/

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This is what he will be doing after he leaves office. I read somewhere that he would work on his "My Brothers Keeper". He is going back to his passion as a Community Organizer, he will do everything he can to make life better for so many. Justice.

Thank you Mr President.

[virgogal]

1. I believe in second chances also---so I assume all of those released

were imprisoned for their first offense.

[sheshe2]

4. Your response to me is guestionable.

What exactly are you saying?

FYI. You are posting in the Barack Obama Group.

[sheshe2]

10. You are blocked.

I have now read many of you posts on DU.

We don't want you here.

[Iliyah]

2. K & R

[brer cat]

3. K&R

[sheshe2]

7. Hey SHRED

Different topic, please start your own thread. You are talking about a shoot out with the feds this post is about misdemeanor drug arrests that many have life sentences for.

You are posting in the BOG and disrupting. You have the whole wide world of DU to post in. You are NOT WELCOME IN THIS GROUP.

Delete this post or I will block you.

[SHRED]

8. I apologize for accidently coming here

And you have quite the attitude.

It was an accident.
It won't happen again.

[sheshe2]

9. I thank you Shred, for deleting. Thanks.

I am sorry I have an attitude. I am sorry. I am so tired of being stalked and harassed on DU. Stalking is a fact. Two of my hides were quoting members vile posts. They got a leave and I got a hide. Why is that? I will mail the posts if you wish, then you can make a judgement on my attitude. You want to see them then I will mail them to you I will not post them on this board, I will get another hide.

You can pretend it is not happening. Or I will post the facts to you.

Your choice. You decide.

[SHRED]

11. Wow...

...thanks for all you do here.

I appreciate it.
I managed a forum online for a local progressive talkshow host.
It was maddening.

[sheshe2]

15. Thank you, SHRED. Seriously, I thank you.

So sad. Democrats are no longer wanted here.

FYI. We have been run off a Democratic board.

AA Women and Hill supporters are no longer welcome here. We got the message loud and clear, we found other places to go. No one needs or deserves this much harassment.

Actually, read my transparency page, please read it. Please read the filth that was left to stand and my hides. My last alert and hide. A troll that was banned hours later. Lol~ they lied, the post exists. I should know, I got a hide for referencing it.

Justice? Not.

[SHRED]

16. I get on the edge of courtesy also

I've offended many.

Hang in there. It'll be okay.

[sheshe2]

20. Hey~

[SCantiGOP]

6. Watching story on NBC News

I told my wife he should invite the people who had unfair drug sentences to Colorado as his guest. He deserves to stay high for a couple of weeks till he starts his post-POTUS activities.

[DemonGoddess]

12. K&R!

[sheshe2]

13. Hey you.

Solidarity!

[DemonGoddess]

14. yup!

[DemonGoddess]

17. K&R! for KMOD!

[Cha]

18. Mahalo President Obama.. you are so appreciated for everything you've done for these last

over 7 years.. and now this!

Second Chances.. So important.. not everyone is perfect and gets it right the first time.

He will be helping Black Kids after he leaves Office and so much more!

Thank you for your OP, she..

[sheshe2]

19. It is his destiny.

Last edited Thu Mar 31, 2016, 12:50 AM - Edit history (1)

It is his legacy. He will continue what he started. Holder will be doing it as well.



edit, spelling~

[Cha]

21. This made me cry, she..

TheObamaDiary.com ‎‎@TheObamaDiary
PBO hugs Kemba Smith during visit w formerly incarcerated individuals who have received commutations (by @PeteSouza)
12:18 PM - 30 Mar 2016
56 56 Retweets 55 55 likes

http://theobamadiary.com/2016/03/30/chat-away-801/

[sheshe2]

22. Yup. Crying too.

Sadness that it happened. Joy that he is changing one step at a time.

Justice

[Cha]

23. Something else President Obama's going to do post POTUS, she..

Mark Knoller
✔ ‎‎@markknoller
At prayer breakfast, Pres Obama shares his immediate plans once he leaves office: sleep.
4:16 AM - 30 Mar 2016
81 81 Retweets 87 87 likes

http://theobamadiary.com/2016/03/30/the-president-hosts-an-easter-prayer-breakfast/

I can imagine..

[sheshe2]

24. That is so cool Cha.

He most certainly deserves some R&R!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

25. what of Don Siegelman? The Alabama governor who is in orison.

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/don_siegelman_reportedly_relea.html

Sent clearly for political reasons before Obama became president, he recently served 8 weeks in solitary confinement? Why hasn't he been pardoned?