>

Snowden is a true hero & patriot. This new internet hive mind that appears to consider censorship and unconstitutional, widespread mass surveillance on citizens as good things is… confusing to me.
Let's see...


Someone convicted of second-degree murder because they shot their husband who was beating them. 33 at the time, 80 now.


A guy who had an illegal whiskey transaction in SC at age 18. Now 77.


Dude who bought cocaine over the phone at 22. Now 66.


Dude involved in weed trafficking (oh the horror). Convicted at 23, now 50.


Dude who rented a place to grow weed (oh the humanity). Convicted at 45, now 72.


Dude who popped pills while in the Army at 19. Now 37. So... of all the guys who pop pills in the military, this guy got convicted?


Basically, a bunch of nonviolent drug offenders and an abuse victim now have clean records. >

Important to note that at least one of these is to clear their record (woman who killed abusive husband), not for a prison release. She only served a few years then went on to be an advocate for battered women. >

Five years, specifically. Most severe sentence of the bunch.
Cases like hers would be ruled very differently today. >

Not really. >

I'm sorry, but especially in a jury trial, abuse victims tend to treated much better than they did 50 years ago. It's a self-defense argument at this point. >

Not really. Jury is still limited by 'this is the law, did they break it?". Not "they technically broke the law, was it ok this time for this reason?". It's fucked up, but lots of juries have had to pass down convictions because facts don't always comply to empathy and vice versa. The jury doesn't do the sentencing. Sometimes judges get stuck with defaults they also hate and can't actually fight. >

Jury nullification is an option. >

Yes but you can't tell them that. >

I can.
On the courthouse steps. >

Full list from the article
"These are the people the president is set to issue full pardons to on Friday, according to the White House: 
Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas, now 80, was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her husband. She was 33 and pregnant at the time of the incident, and testified that her husband beat her, threatened her and verbally abused her. She claimed her husband physically assaulted and threatened her moments before she shot him. She was sentenced to one to five years in prison. Her case encouraged courts to recognize battered woman syndrome, and she became the director of nursing for a health care business. At 80, she still works at the Ohio facility as a case manager, the White House said. 
Charlie Byrnes Jackson, now 77, pleaded guilty to one count of possession and sale of distilled spirits over a single illegal whiskey transaction when he was 18. The South Carolina man was sentenced to five years' probation. Since then, the White House said Jackson has been an active member of his church, and has used his carpentry skills to renovate church buildings. 
Gary Parks Davis, now 66 of Arizona, pleaded guilty to using a telephone to facilitate an unlawful cocaine transaction at 22. He served six months on nights and weekends in county jail, and completed probation. David ultimately earned a bachelor's degree and began his own landscaping business and managed construction projects. The White House says he has used his skills to serve the local high school's booster club, as well as the local rotary club and chamber of commerce. 
Edward Lincoln De Coito III of California, now 50, is a former U.S. Army service member who pleaded guilty to involvement in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy at 23. He served as a courier on a handful of occasions. He did prison time from March 1999 to December 2000. In the Army and Army Reserves, he received awards including the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. 
John Dix Nock III of Florida, now 72, pleaded guilty for renting and making use of a place for manufacturing marijuana plants 27 years ago. He was sentenced in 1996 to six months' community confinement, and three years of supervised release. He paid the government the value of the home he rented to his brother, the White House says. He now mentors young contractors. 
Vincente Ray Flores, now 37 of California, pleaded guilty for consuming ecstasy and alcohol while serving in the military when he was about 19. He was sentenced to four months' confinement and had to pay $700 for four months in forfeiture, and had his rank reduced. He entered an Air Force Return to Deuty Program, a six-month rehabilitation program. To this day, he is on active duty, receiving multiple military wawards. Through his military unit, he has also volunteered for charity causes including Habitat for Humanity, the White House notes. " >

You mean, people who probably should and COULD use pardons got pardons?  Gosh darn it!! >

I thought presidential pardons were only used for felons convicted for federal crimes that they committed for the benefit of the sitting president's campaign or administration. >

Yeah them and Lil Wayne >

Lil Wayne is rich and lost his girlfriend over Trump, of course he should have been pardoned. >

pardon me?! >

You are pardoned. >

Only after a significant campaign contribution though. >

I'm so confused. None of these people work for Biden or appear to be related to him or close family friends. This is odd.
Edit - /s for some of you who needed that. The education on politics and pardons is appreciated but I'm old enough to understand how this works. It's just refreshing that there wasnt a massive hashtag celebrity runup to this, and there were no political croney pardons. And I'm aware there's tens of thousands of incarcerated people waiting/hoping for a pardon. Our justice system is very unfair. >

But are there any war criminals? >

No! It's crazy, not even a single cop that used excessive force. It's madness. >

Or that took money meant to stop pedophiles to arrest brown people. >

Don’t forget - He wrote the crime bill in 93. And they usually save the heinous pardons for after they get voted out so just give it time >

I guess he might parson a serial killer who is a war criminal.   I doubt it however. >

IMO he should pardon everyone affected by his crime bill but I doubt that as well >

No rappers or celebrities pffttt >

Trump would have set Young Thug free 😒 >

He would pardon Trey Songz and ask the justice department to prosecute Megan. >

It was Tory lanez lmao I haven’t heard about trey songs since 2010 >

Trey Songs catching strays >

Hmmm. I don't see any of Biden's lawyers or political cronies in there. Didn't Trump tell him how pardons are supposed to work? >

None of Biden's lawyers are in prison.  In fact it goes even further, he has managed to be president of the United States without his lawyers having to get defense lawyers of their own.  Trump should take notes. >

imagine all the poor lawyers who went hungry this christmas without being able to defend bidens lawyers >

Wait, Biden didn't pardon his co-conspirators?!  Isn't that what pardons are meant for?! >

Yeah he just pardoned… ppl who have already served their sentences long, long ago. Worthless.
Also, what co-conspirators are you referencing? (Genuine question) >

He's talking about Trump, who pardoned Manafort, Stone, and others. >

Surprised we didn’t hear “Joe Exotic announces party change” sometime in the last month >

Drug possession only of any kind should not be criminal.  It’s government tyranny to regulate what citizens put in their bodies. Good or bad, that judgement is not the role of government. >

Maybe don't regulate what people knowingly put in their bodies. FDA is a good thing that the end purpose is to regulate what people put in their bodies. >

Everyone needs to realize not all government regulation is bad. Your money in the bank is insured and your water is lead free (Except if you live in Michigan) because of regulation. >

Loooootta other parts of the US still have lead pipes or lead soldered joints in copper piping. But regulation is pushing to safely deal with or replace those in most places, so your point still holds! >

While this is nice, many are fairly inconsequential. They are not currently serving and half are retirement age. >

Wait, no political cronies? No sycophantic lackeys? I’m shocked! Shocked I tell you! >

Leonard Peltier please >

Yet Leonard P. Still sits in prison >

William Leonard Pickard?  He got out recently after doing 20 years of double life. >

Wow, no War Criminals. No Seditious Conspirators. I guess only Republicans give free passes to really bad people. >

Well, when the republicans do it, it is rarely free, if I've learned anything over the past years. >

Trump pardoned Duncan Hunter, the most corrupt right wing ass of all time.  Blew his campaign money and bribes on vacations, sports tickets and escorts.  Convicted then pardoned.  Would be hard to top that. >

a commutation is different from a pardon.
Lopez served 35 years of a 55 year sentence. Obama said he didn't have to serve the rest of it >

Still no Leonard Peltier? Shame >

I wish I could upvote this 7 million times >

What is the point of these pardons? From the article, everyone except Beverly Ann were convicted of minor crimes and served  minor sentences that they’ve moved on from decades ago. >

Tradition. Like pardoning the Thanksgiving turkey. >

These are all people who should be pardoned. >

Maybe it's time he freed Leonard Peltier >

I feel like pardons are largely a joke. In the most incarceration-addicted nation on the planet, it is something of an annual tradition to get a handful of pardons of people who were convicted of nothingburger crimes long ago. It’s some kind of a sick joke. 
I don’t know if it’s the ghost of willie Horton or what, but some more robust executive clemency would be welcome. >

Honestly while I'm certainly happy that these people have received some vindication. To me a pardon should not be something a President can just hand out on a whim. Trump's (and others but he was especially blatant) laundry list of scumbags pardoned compared to this list of people who aren't even incarcerated anymore show how easily it can be abused while people who actually deserve pardons have to practically be saints to even get one after they've already completed their sentence. I accept that pardons serve a purpose but put some safeguards in place.
On the other hand I have to admit Obama's pardon spree does seem to have been mostly altruistic and got people who shouldn't have been locked up (Or atleast not for the insane sentences dished out from the 'war on drugs') out of prison. >

A friend wrote for a presidential pardon.
He tried to fart at Thanksgiving dinner and followed through. His brother laughed himself in to an asthma attack and his father had to drive him to the Emergency room.
Not even a mention >

Performative, yet not a threat to the system. Neat. >

That should be the new slogan for the Democratic Party. That seems to be all we get from them. >

He didn’t sell the pardons like Trump? Sad. /s >

Pfffttt Biden of course screwing the economy again here making bad deals. You know how much presidential pardons go for on the market? Easy 100K a pop. >

If I were him I would have added in “I also preemptively pardon Hunter for any crimes where the evidence of that crime is found on a laptop computer” just for fun. Imagine the absolute chaos that would follow… >

…impressive and girthy as they may be.” >

There absolutely has to be thousands of people in prison for bullshit convictions who deserve to be pardoned. The Innocence Project is tracking many. To grant full pardons for people whom are already out of prison and doing fine … seems like the lowest possible bar. 
I hope he doesn’t save all those for his last day in office. >

All of these people served less than 3 years in prison, most of them less than 1, and have been out for a long time.  None of them struggled with their convictions or were prevented from getting work for it.  Each one is an example citizen and fully safe to give a pardon to.
I suspect he has no intention of touching any pardons for people actively serving sentences or haven't fully established their lives as model citizens, no matter how unjust their conviction. >

These pardons are just so....uneventful though. Decades old minor drug crimes. >

yea, he should've pardoned hunter's laptop to really spook the crazies. >

“I hereby pardon Hilary Clinton’s emails” >

I would give a year's pay to see Joe Biden say that on national television, then wink at the camera. >

Wonder if Trump gave him a grovelling phone call >

Conservative America is furious rn >

There isn't anything controversial about them.  They are all for people who have already served their time. >

So, it’s not a bunch of criminal cronies and traitors, like trump’s pardons? >

Would be nice if the list wasn’t mostly full of old people who’ve already lived their life. Not that they dont deserve to be pardoned, but why not pardon more people who still have 40 - 50 - 60 years left to live. Can’t imagine that this is going to affect some 80’s life that much at this point >

What? No political cronies who committed crimes on his behalf or at his behest? No corrupt family members who committed extensive financial crimes? Not even one lawyer complicit in his own crimes.
What is the Presidency coming to? >

Oh can’t wait to see how Fox News spins this. What, no rappers or trump friends and co? Darn >

i'm guessing "Biden pardons murderer, others" >

To quote my local, totally human, physician, "That is some bullshit."
Pardons should come before you regain your life so you can regain your life. This is the low hanging fruit. >

It’s usually the safe or small stuff where no one bats an eye. Presidents usually don’t like to swing the bat on cases that made headlines and blew up social media. So no political land mines. >

Good. People shouldn't be sitting in jail with murderers and rapists for having weed. >

None of these people are currently in prison. >

Oh, i see. So they just had it removed from their records then? >

Yes this expunges the charge from their record >

Thank you. >

WAIT, where are his criminal associates? /s >

Who did bill Clinton pardon? >

Non American here. 
Why is this a tradition in the US? 
I honestly don’t get it. Is it just a publicity thing to make the president look merciful and in favor of justice? Because every time it’s done it always makes the US president look corrupt as fuck to me.
And no, I don’t mean this as a dig on Biden. I’m talking about it as a general thing I don’t get about American costumes from an foreigner’s perspective. >

Its essentially to remove the records of people who have them unfairly, its a weird system, but not corrupt (well occasionally it is)
However if you want to see this system but corrupt, mexico will gladly show you, where the president lets murderers go free constantly, because they were his friends >

“Unfairly” being in the eye of the beholder of course. It’s a kingly decree. Don’t forget republicans at least, have used pardons on completely legitimate criminals in the past. Like, actual rapists. “Because he was a great gardener at the governors mansion”. >

What a difference from the previous president! >

Well, unlike trump, Biden didn’t have people commit crimes for him, so he didn’t have to pardon any cronies. >

A bunch of feel-good fluff with no substance. >

Odd to have pardons for people that weren't a part of his campaign or administration. >

It’s feels weird when the administration isn’t a bunch of criminals and traitors. >

OMG that’s not how pardons should work, you should pardon those who can help you in the future >

I bet there aren’t any Democrats on this list. >

In many places convicted felons are stripped of their right to vote, so it’s possible none of them are a voting member of any party. >

This is a nice surprise. Definitely not the best President but an improvement from blatant corruption. >

2.3 million people are currently incarcerated in the U.S.
1 in 5 are incarcerated for drug offenses.
Half a million people are are on probation for drug law violations.
The war on drugs is just a tool for mass surveillance and enslavement of the underpriviledged. >

I saw some republican earlier demanding that Biden pardon Andrew Tate....
Who isn't convicted yet...  and under arrest by Romania... >

They should ask for a pardon for Gaetz, at least he sex trafficked children in the US. >

The whole idea of year-end pardons gives me unease. If someone belongs in a cage, keep them there. If they don't, let them out the moment that's established. We don't need to leave people in cages for fun and hand out mercy like it's a Christmas gift >

Thing is: Everyone listed had already served their sentences.  This set of pardons is just a formality. >

ahh right there in the first sentence. I will own this L for not reading the article. I'm not sure if I feel better or worse knowing that these sentences weren't cut short. >

But not Assange? The US really r a joke. That can not be touched in the ICC for war crimes, yet they don't want their war crimes being exposed. Hypocrites. >

That's cool. Talk to me when Julian Assange and Edward Snowden are on the list... >

The folks that Biden pardoned were all people who served their time and went on to do humanitarian efforts. >

Fair, but these two's "crimes" were themselves humanitarian efforts. >

Debatable that espionage counts as humanitarian >

Espionage? Come the fuck on, the NSA was literally (and still is) illegally comitting espionage on the entirity of the american public, but the guy that actually had the balls to tell people about it is the issue?