President Barack Obama granted commutation of sentences Wednesday to 61 federal inmates, including two from Georgia, the White House announced.
All of the inmates are serving time for drug possession, intent to sell or related crimes, and most are nonviolent offenders.
Lewis Clay of College Park and Gregory Morgan of Jonesboro were both convicted on cocaine charges in 2003 in separate cases. Clay was sentenced to life in prison and Morgan’s sentence was 225 months, or nearly 19 years.
On July 28, both will be free men,, They are among the latest to be released under a clemency initiative the President announced in 2014 that’s designed to reduce sentences that were much heftier than what would like be given now. Drug offenders who had already served 10 years were eligible to apply for clemency
“Through cooperative bipartisan efforts with Congress, the U.S. Sentencing Commission and reform advocacy groups, we hope to soon realize systemic change in the length of prison sentences for these low-level drug offenders and to provide better tools for a safe and successful reentry into the community,” Sally Q. Yates, U.S. deputy attorney general, said in an emailed statement. “The Department fervently shares the President’s commitment to equal and fair justice under law and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve this goal.”
The latest round of inmates brings the number to 248 whose sentences Obama has commuted — more than the past six presidents combined, the White House said.
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