We’re Winding Down the War on Weed — But Not Fast Enough

Tana Ganeva Mar 14, 2020 The president can’t pardon everyone in prison for marijuana convictions. We need clemency commissions. Lots of them. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Painting a Path Out of Prison

Liesl Bradner / Truthdig May 26, 2018 Fulton Leroy Washington turned to art to cope with an unjust federal sentence. The story of his path to freedom is worth remembering as Congress considers prison reform. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Obama’s Grants of Clemency Top 1,300 in Effort to Address Justice System Problems

BLANK Dec 22, 2016 On Tuesday, he granted 78 pardons and 153 commutations—the record for any president in a single day—to individuals with nonviolent offenses. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Obama’s Bureaucrats Thwarting His Efforts to Free Drug War Prisoners

By Phillip Smith / AlterNet May 13, 2016 The applications of thousands of federal inmates eligible for commuted sentences are bottlenecked, and the clock is ticking. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Instead of Pardoning a Turkey This Year, Obama Should Free This Man

Staff / Truthdig Oct 29, 2015 This year, the president should extend some Thanksgiving clemency to human beings—starting with Leonard Peltier. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Georgia Officials Disregard Pope Francis’ Clemency Plea on Behalf of Death Row Inmate

Kasia Anderson / Truthdig Sep 30, 2015 Despite the pontiff's best efforts, he couldn't persuade a Georgia parole board to grant clemency for Kelly Gissendaner, a death row inmate due to be executed Tuesday evening. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

VIDEO: Obama Reduces Sentences of 46 Prisoners in Largest Clemency Grant Since the 1960s

Staff / Truthdig Jul 14, 2015 President Obama granted clemency Monday to 46 men and women convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, most of whom were serving sentences of at least 20 years. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

‘Left, Right & Center’: Saving Mr. Snowden

Staff / Truthdig Jan 4, 2014 Truthdig Editor-in-Chief Robert Scheer and the other "Left, Right & Center" panelists discuss The New York Times' call for clemency for Edward Snowden. National Review editor Rich Lowry, providing the perspective from the right, acknowledges that Snowden's case is "ambiguous," while insisting he broke the law. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Atlantic Makes a Case for Snowden’s Clemency

Alexander Reed Kelly / Truthdig Jan 3, 2014 Atlantic contributor Conor Friedersdorf supported The New York Times' call for clemency for NSA leaker and whistle-blower Edward Snowden by meticulously explaining why clemency would not set a dangerous precedent that would encourage federal employees to become loose with all manner of official secrets, as many of the Times' critics have claimed. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

New York Times: Edward Snowden ‘Has Done His Country a Great Service’

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Jan 2, 2014 The New York Times is kicking off 2014 by demanding clemency or a plea deal for Edward Snowden. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Shades of Mercy: Presidential Forgiveness Heavily Favors Whites

Staff / Truthdig Dec 4, 2011 To avoid repeating a scandal like his predecessor’s, George W. Bush gave career lawyers in the Justice Department far-reaching authority to choose who got presidential pardons. The result: Whites are nearly four times as likely as minorities to win a pardon, even when the type of crime and severity of sentence are taken into account.Whites are nearly four times as likely as minorities to win a presidential pardon. Dig deeper ( 16 Min. Read )

No Clemency for Troy Davis

Staff / Truthdig Sep 20, 2011 Despite worldwide protests and letters from the likes of President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and 51 members of Congress, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles ruled Tuesday morning that Troy Davis should die by lethal injection Wednesday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )