The Friday news dump includes an announcement from the Justice Department of the first 9 Presidential Pardons signed by President Obama, narrowly avoiding breaking the record set by the first President Bush of the longest stretch without any being granted.
None seem controversial, what they have in common is the offenses pardoned are pretty old, ranging to ancient (a bootlegger sentenced in 1960.)
I'm glad the President has acknowledged that his Constitutional power to pardon and commute is sometimes appropriate, now let's "make him' use it for folks currently serving excessive terms.
Over 500 inmates are currently serving Federal sentences in excess of 15 years on strictly marijuana charges (smuggling or growing), a few having now sat 20 years.
I've created a Twitter petition @BarackObama asking him to review these sentences on an individual basis. Please sign on at http://act.ly/... .
*Department of Justice*
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 3, 2010
President Barack Obama Grants Pardons
WASHINGTON -- Today President Barack Obama granted pardons to the
following nine individuals:
* James Bernard Banks - Liberty, Utah
Offense: Illegal possession of government property; 18 U.S.C. § 641.
Sentence: Oct. 31, 1972; District of Utah; two years of probation.**
* Russell James Dixon - Clayton, Ga.
Offense: Felony liquor law violation; 26 U.S.C. § 5604(a)(1).
Sentence: June 23, 1960; Northern District of Georgia; two years of
probation.
* Laurens Dorsey - Syracuse, N.Y.
Offense: Conspiracy to defraud the United States by making false
statements to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1001.
Sentence: Aug. 31, 1998; District of New Jersey; five years of probation
and $71,000 restitution.
* Ronald Lee Foster - Beaver Falls, Penn.
Offense: Mutilation of coins; 18 U.S.C. § 331.
Sentence: Oct. 4, 1963; Eastern District of North Carolina; one year of
probation and $20 fine.
* Timothy James Gallagher - Navasota, Texas
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute
cocaine; 21 U.S.C. § 846.
Sentence: Oct. 18, 1982; District of Arizona; three years of probation.
* Roxane Kay Hettinger - Powder Springs, Ga.
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine; 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846.
Sentence: March 31, 1986; Northern District of Iowa; 30 days in jail
followed by three years of probation.
* Edgar Leopold Kranz Jr. - Minot, N.D.
Offense: Wrongful use of cocaine, adultery and writing three
insufficient fund checks; Articles 112a and 134, Uniform Code of
Military Justice.
Sentence: Sept. 14, 1994, as approved Nov. 4, 1994; General
court-martial convened at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; bad conduct
discharge (suspended), 24 months of confinement and reduction to pay
grade E-1.
* Floretta Leavy - Rockford, Ill.
Offense: Distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute cocaine,
possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of
cocaine with intent to distribute; 21 U.S. C. §§ 841(a)(1), (a)(2) and
846, 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Sentence: Oct. 19, 1984; District of Kansas; one year and one day in
prison and three years of special parole.
* Scoey Lathaniel Morris - Crosby, Texas
Offense: Passing counterfeit obligations or securities; 18 U.S.C. §§ 472
and 2.
Sentence: May 21, 1999; Western District of Texas; three years of
probation and $1,200 restitution, jointly and severally.
10-1383
Office of Public Affairs
