On his last full day as president, Joe Biden granted five pardons and commuted the sentences of two individuals, emphasizing the American ideal of second chances. These acts of clemency, he stated, reflect his commitment to offering redemption to those who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, and who have contributed positively to their communities.
Among those pardoned posthumously was Marcus Garvey, a prominent civil rights and human rights activist convicted of mail fraud in 1923. Garvey, who founded the Black Star Line and the Universal Negro Improvement Association, was lauded by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. for his leadership in the movement for Black empowerment. His conviction has long been viewed by supporters as politically motivated.
Other pardons were granted to Darryl Chambers, Ravidath "Ravi" Ragbir, an immigrant rights activist convicted of a nonviolent offense, Don Leonard Scott, Jr., and Kemba Smith Pradia, a criminal justice reform advocate previously convicted of a drug offense and whose sentence was commuted by President Clinton in 2000.
Biden also commuted the sentences of Michelle West and Robin Peoples, setting their release date for February 18, 2025. West, serving a life sentence for crimes committed in the late 80s and early 90s, has garnered support for her rehabilitation and personal transformation during her incarceration. Peoples, serving a 111-year sentence for crimes in the late 1990s, is considered by supporters to be deserving of a second chance given his demonstrated rehabilitation and the potential disparity between his sentence and current legal standards.
These clemency actions follow Biden's recent commutation of nearly 2,500 sentences. The possibility of preemptive pardons for critics of President-elect Donald Trump remains a topic of speculation, although such a move would represent an unprecedented use of presidential power.
