Upshaw had been sentenced to life in prison on cocaine dealing charges in 1998. His sentence is commuted to expire on December 1 of this year.
Advertisement
Those granted clemency today were “incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws”, according to a press release from the White House.
Of the 214 inmates affected by Wednesday’s action, 67 were serving life sentences.
Edwin Mack, of Fort Myers, was sentenced to life on November 1, 2005 after a conviction of conspiring to distribute crack cocaine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Most of the individuals were serving sentences for drug-related and nonviolent offenses. All were convicted of drug crimes; five had been sentenced to life in prison. That is indeed more than the past nine presidents combined, and it surpasses the previous single-day record of 151 commutations, set by Franklin Roosevelt in 1935.
“Our work is far from finished”, Neil Eggleston, the White House counsel, said about the commutations.
– Derwlyn Rosborough of Lake View Terrace, who was sentenced in Wyoming in 2002 to 240 months for possession of cocaine. his sentence will now end December 1.
More than one in four (26.2%) of the 214 criminals freed by Pres. Obama Wednesday had firearms convictions – yet, Obama continues to push for tougher gun laws.
The president has now made 562 commutations, officials say.
Jones was charged with distribution of less than 50 grams of cocaine base and aiding and abetting.
The president commuted the drug-related sentences of Jose Del Valle of Philadelphia, Alberto Maisonet of Philadelphia, John Nicholas Gargano of Folcroft, Delaware County, Morris Dabbs of Trenton and Richard D. Reid of Wilmington.
“For some, the President believes that the applicant’s successful re-entry will be aided with additional drug treatment, and the President has conditioned those commutations on an applicant’s seeking that treatment”.
The White House has reaffirmed its call for legislation in order to bring about lasting change to the American criminal justice system.
Advertisement
In a statement posted on Facebook, Obama said those granted clemency are “deserving of a second chance”.
