Biden Commutes 1,500 Sentences, Pardons 39 Nonviolent Offenders in Largest Single-Day Clemency

Dec 12, 2024, 11:13 PM

On December 12, 2024, President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 individuals, commuting their sentences, and pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes, marking the largest single-day act of clemency in modern U.S. history. The individuals who received clemency include those who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recipients hail from various states, including Florida, Texas, Wisconsin—where at least eight individuals received clemency—Oklahoma, Maryland, and Washington state. President Biden stated, “As President, I have the immense privilege of granting clemency to individuals who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that Biden has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any recent predecessors in their first terms. The White House indicated that more acts of clemency may be forthcoming in the final weeks before Biden leaves office in January.