Obama Commutes Federal Prison Sentences Of 111 People

[MADem]

On Aug. 3, Obama issued 214 commutations — a move the White House announced as the most a president had issued in a single day since at least 1900.
On Tuesday, the president issued 111 more commutations. A BuzzFeed News review of the list provided by the White House details that all are serving sentences for convictions of drug crimes or drug-related crimes. The vast majority stem from cocaine, mainly crack cocaine, offenses, although a dozen of Tuesday’s commutations include methamphetamine-related offenses and one — out of Florida — is of an LSD-related conviction.
About half of Tuesday’s commutations set the prison sentences to end on December 28, 2016. Most of the others reduce the sentences to a shorter term of months, while the remainder set the sentences to end at a specific date in the future beyond 2016. Some come with conditions relating to drug treatment.
Tuesday’s commutations are the latest in a series of such moves by Obama after announcing his support in 2014 for a clemency review process to address those serving harsh sentences that they would not be subject to if convicted today. The Clemency Project has led Obama to to grant a series of such commutations beginning in July 2015.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/obama-commutes-federal-prison-sentences-of-111-people?utm_term=.nbE0GXEX2#.fqKx25w59

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. K&R!

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Kick And Rec.

Hopefully this will continue and expand with the next administration.

Non-violent drug offenders don't belong in prison, period- the drug war is a failure, and we need to stop spending billions on shit like arresting people for pot smoking.

[MADem]

3. A lot of people have accused Obama of not doing anything about this, but he has been.

He just isn't making a ton of noise while he's doing it.

Probably the best way to handle it, because the GOP would try to block him with rhetoric, negative media, and bullshit, otherwise.

We can see the trajectory. It's just not fast enough for some, but I think it's as fast as it's gonna be...

[Warren DeMontague]

4. I think he's been the best President of my lifetime, and the best (and most quietly transformative)

on the drug war.

Has he done 100% of everything that needs to be done, no. But has he made a real dent in the thing, despite what is no question some serious institutional inertia? I believe he has.

I'm very pleased with and proud of President Obama, in general.

[MADem]

5. I think he's done an outstanding job; in the face of bigotry, hatred and a Do-Nothing GOP

Congress.

His place in history is assured. And FLOTUS too--she has been superb in the most thankless unpaid job in America.

[aikoaiko]

6. A sincere thank you to the President. In and of themselves the commutations are very good things.

But he is setting the stage for more cultural change on this issue.

Here is one of the cases. One of my friends posted this on Facebook.

http://liveforlivemusic.com/news/grateful-dead-fan-timothy-tyler-has-been-granted-clemency-by-president-barack-obama/

Grateful Dead Fan Timothy Tyler Has Been Granted Clemency By President Barack Obama

After 22 years in prison, Grateful Dead fan Timothy Tyler has been shockingly granted clemency. The man, who was 25 at the time of his arrest and is now 47, was sentenced after continuously (and casually) selling LSD to a friend who had secretly been working with the DEA as an informant. Tyler may have made some mistakes, but getting sent to prison with a life sentence was far too much. Adding to this tragedy is that Tyler's father was also implicated in his sales--simply by Timothy living at his father's home and using his address in the packages he was sending and receiving. Tyler's father was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and died 8 years into his sentence.

This story is extremely sad, but now seems to be heading towards a happy ending. Tyler has been surprisingly been granted clemency by President Barack Obama after over 400,000 people signed a petition on Change.org asking grant him clemency. Now Tim can see his 70-year old mother, and he can see his beloved Grateful Dead (or something similar to it) once more. Kudos to President Obama for changing up the way America approaches clemency for non-violent offenders.

Click Here to read more about Tyler's harrowing tale, and be happy to know that he will soon be out of prison!

In celebration of his pending release, watch a video of Tyler's favorite song, "Althea", from a Grateful Dead performance in 1979.

I wonder what the other stories are? I'm sure many are poignant.

[MADem]

7. Ahhh....so HE is the "one" LSD case mentioned in the article.

Glad he will get out while he can still do some living.

This guy is a walking, talking example of how it DOES MATTER who we elect to the Presidency.

I don't think John McCain or Mitt The Shitt Romney would be signing a clemency document for this guy.