46 federal inmates nationwide received the news of a lifetime when President Barack Obama granted them commutations Monday (July 13). "I believe that, at it's heart, America's a nation of second chances, and I believe these folks deserve their second chance," he stated in his most recent video address.
The President sent each of the inmates a letter informing them that he's cutting their prison sentences short. "I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around," POTUS wrote. "Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity," he continued on to say before advising them that though they may face a difficult journey ahead of them, he does believe that they all have "the capacity to make good choices." The White House has since reported that President Obama has commuted the most prison sentences since Lyndon B. Johnson.
All of the 46 men and women given a second chance at life were drug offenders, with the majority of them being non-violent. Of those 46, 13 of the inmates had previously received life sentences. Julie Stewart, President of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, says that they are extremely "lucky," as there are still over 2,000 prisoners currently serving a life sentence without parole for their non-violent crimes.
Source: CNN
