Obama commutes sentences of 214 US prisoners

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday shortened the sentences of 214 prisoners, marking what the White House says is the most commutations issued by an American president in a single day since at least 1900.

That includes 67 life sentences, according to the White House.

"All of the individuals receiving commutation today, incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws, embody the president’s belief that “America is a nation of second chances," White House Counsel Neil Eggleston wrote in a blog post.

Almost all of those affected are men and nearly all have been convicted of nonviolent drug crimes related to the possession or distributions of drugs including marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. Still, some are violent offenders.

Obama has long opposed the lengthy sentences often handed down to nonviolent drug offenders as part of minimum sentencing guidelines, and has worked with the Justice Department to remedy the practice.

One hundred and twenty-eight prisoners will have their sentences expire Dec. 1, according to data from the White House.

Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates said in a statement that the administration is not yet done and expects that "many more men and women will be given a second chance through the Clemency Initiative."

In total, Obama has issued 562 commutations during his presidency, that's more than the previous nine presidents combined, the White House says. Nearly 200 of those individuals were serving life sentences.

Presidents typically hasten the pace of pardons and commutations during the final year of their presidency when the potential political fallout of the actions is lessened.