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President Biden on Tuesday pardoned three people, including the first agent of the Black Secret Service for Presidential Detail, and commuted the sentences of 75 nonviolent drug criminals amid calls by criminal justice advocates for more leniency in a system that has disproportionately harmed blacks.
“America is a nation with laws and a second chance, redemption and rehabilitation,” the president said in a statement. “Elected officials on both sides of the road, leaders of the faith, civil rights defenders and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and must reflect these core values that enable safer and more -strong communities.
This was the first time Biden had used his powers to pardon his presidency, as many in the Democratic Party insisted he exercise his executive power, especially in the area of criminal justice restructuring.
Several White House officials, including Home Affairs Adviser Susan Rice and Director of Public Engagement Cedric L. Richmond, will host a virtual roundtable on Tuesday afternoon with six ex-detainees to discuss how re-entry programs help reduce crime, the White House said.
“In the second month of the opportunity, I use my constitutional powers to uphold these values by forgiving and commuting the sentences of my fellow Americans,” Biden said.
Biden’s evolution in criminal justice reform
Biden’s use of his broad powers of pardon seems more aimed at redressing injustices than his immediate predecessor, Donald Trump, who was known to pardon celebrities and political allies who broke the law.
The Biden administration also announced plans to help people return to society after imprisonment, including a program that provides job training; increased support for housing, health and education needs; and subsidies for ex-convicts hoping to start a small business.
“As I set out in my overall strategy to reduce gun crime, helping those who have aged their time to return to their families and become members of their communities is one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism. and crime reduction, “the president said.
Among those pardoned was Abraham Bolden Sr., who was the first black man in the presidential secret service to serve during the presidency of John F. Kennedy. In 1964, Bolden was charged with attempting to sell a copy of a secret service file. His first trial ended with a hanged jury; he was sentenced to a second trial, although key witnesses later admitted to him that they lied at the prosecutor’s request. He spent several years in federal custody.
Bolden, 87, of Chicago, has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming he was targeted for exposing racism that prevailed in the 1960s in the Secret Service. He has since been praised for challenging racial injustice and other public contributions since his release from prison.
Biden also pardoned Betty Joe Bogans, 51, of Houston. Bogans was convicted in 1998 of possession with intent to spread crack after trying to transport drugs to her friend and accomplice, none of whom were detained or arrested.
Bogans was a single mother with no previous record when she received a seven-year sentence after her conviction. After her release, she spent nearly two decades working and raising her son and underwent cancer treatment.
Biden also pardoned 52-year-old Dexter Eugene Jackson, who did not sell marijuana but was convicted of allowing dealers to use his billiard room for drug deals. Jackson of Athens, Georgia, pleaded guilty and is serving his sentence. After his release, he turned his billiard room into a mobile phone repair business, partnering with a program to provide professional experience to local high school students.
Biden also commuted the sentences of 75 nonviolent drug offenders across the country, many of whom are under house arrest.
John Wagner and Matt Wieser contributed to this report.
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