President Obama on Wednesday commuted the sentences of 214 prisoners, the highest number in any single day since at least 1900.
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– Morris Dabbs of Trenton, sentenced initially to 360 months imprisonment and 10 years supervised release on February 29, 2000 for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
Of the six South Carolinians, four will have their sentences shortened to expire this December 1.
Before the President commuted his sentence, James was scheduled to remain in the Elkton Federal Correction Institution until 2022.
Comer had been serving a life sentence that began December 8, 1997 for engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and two counts of distributing cocaine.
John Anthony Mickens, of Louisa, had been sentenced to 211 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. Nearly all the prisoners were serving time for nonviolent drug offenses.
“Underlying all the President’s commutation decisions is the belief that these deserving individuals should be given the tools to succeed in their second chance”, Eggleston continued.
The commutations highlighted the president’s push to address drug crime sentences that critics say contribute to excessive punishment and incarceration rates.
Raul Camargo Flores and Arnold Ray Jones both had their sentences commuted to expire on August 3, 2018, on condition that they enroll in residential drug treatment.
One of the convicts, James Wright of Baltimore, Maryland, was serving a 20 year sentence that began in 2006 for possession of crack with intent to distribute.
Moore was first sentenced to 360 months in prison and five years’ supervised release but his term was later reduced in October 2015 to 292 months, according to the White House.
Obama commuted the sentences of 58 similar offenders in May, arguing that laws requiring mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes are unfair.
Eggleston said Obama examines each clemency application on its specific merits to identify the appropriate relief, including whether the prisoner would be helped by additional drug treatment, educational programming or counseling.
He boasted about the amount of commutations he has issued as president in an interview with National Public Radio in July.
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Though this wouldn’t be the first time President Obama commuted a wave of prison sentences. Clemency Project 2014 project manager Cynthia Roseberry expressed “tremendous gratitude” to Obama.
