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Prez Trump grants 73 pardons and 70 commutations in final hours in office

January 20, 2021

As detailed in this official statement, Prez Trump has “granted pardons to 73 individuals and commuted the sentences of an additional 70 individuals.” The list of recipients strikes me as notably diverse, with some well-known names sure to cause controversy (e.g., Steve Bannon) as well as plenty of lesser-known individuals. Here are just a few on the names on the list catching my eye upon first review: John Knock – President Trump commuted the sentence…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Intriguing (and significant?) executive order from Prez Trump on "Protecting Americans From Overcriminalization Through Regulatory Reform"

By Douglas Berman

January 19, 2021

I just saw this new federal Executive Order which was issued yesterday, January 18, 2021, by Prez Trump titled “Executive Order on Protecting Americans From Overcriminalization Through Regulatory Reform.” Here are the main operational sections of the order: By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve transparency with respect to the consequences of violating certain regulations and to protect Americans…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Some news and notes and rulings on federal compassionate release

By Douglas Berman

January 19, 2021

I know that lots of people are eagerly awaiting the reported forthcoming list of clemency grants from Prez Trump on his last full day in office (including, it seems, Joe Exotic). As we wait, I have noticed a number of recent pieces about so-called compassionate relief motions in the federal system, a mechanism which serves as a means now for federal judges to modify the prison sentences of some federal prisoners. Here is a…

Sentencing Law and Policy

"Reimagining the Death Penalty: Targeting Christians, Conservatives"

By Douglas Berman

January 19, 2021

The title of this post is the title of this recent paper by SpearIt that is available via SSRN. Though posted a few months ago, I just came across the paper and it certainly remains timely. Here is its abstract: This Article is an interdisciplinary response to an entrenched legal and cultural problem. It incorporates legal analysis, religious study and the anthropological notion of “culture work” to consider death penalty abolitionism and prospects for abolishing…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Hoping for a lot more "regular" folks on Prez Trump's coming final clemency list

By Douglas Berman

January 18, 2021

CNN has this big new piece about Prez Trump’s clemency plans under the headline “Trump to issue around 100 pardons and commutations Tuesday, sources say.” There is a lot of interesting reporting in this piece, and here are excerpts: President Donald Trump is preparing to issue around 100 pardons and commutations on his final full day in office Tuesday, according to three people familiar with the matter, a major batch of clemency actions that includes…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Remembering and honoring the (always timely) poignancy of the great words of Dr. Martin Luther King

By Douglas Berman

January 18, 2021

I sincerely adore MLK day, not only because I have a long tradition of always making time to listen to the full “I Have A Dream” speech by Dr. King, but also because in recent years I have used the day to explore Stanford University’s awesome collection of MLK Papers. In previous years (in posts linked below), I have quoted from various renown speeches and writings with an emphasis on the intersection of…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Lots of notable death penalty stories at the state, federal and international level

By Douglas Berman

January 18, 2021

While the execution spree conducted in the last six months of the Trump Administration has justifiably garnered a lot of attention from the press and others, I have noticed in recent days a number of notable new capital headlines that go beyond just federal death penalty stories. In an effort to cover a lot of ground, here is a round-up with links: From Bloomberg, “Boston Marathon Bomber Appeal Is Early Biden Test on Death …

Sentencing Law and Policy

"Mass Incarceration, Meet COVID-19"

By Douglas Berman

January 17, 2021

The title of this post is the title of this paper now available via SSRN authored by Sharon Dolovich. Here is its abstract: With the global pandemic still unfolding, we are only beginning to make sense of the overall impact of COVID-19 on the people who live and work inside American prisons and jails, and of what effect, if any, the pandemic will have on the nation’s continued commitment to mass incarceration under unduly harsh…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Might Prez Trump announce his next round of clemency grants this weekend?

By Douglas Berman

January 16, 2021

The question in this post is prompted by this Politico article headlined “Trump weighing a pardon for Steve Bannon.” The start of the article suggests that some actually were expected some action on the clemency front last night: President Donald Trump is considering granting a pardon to Steve Bannon, his former White House chief strategist and top campaign aide, who was charged with swindling donors to a private crowdsourcing effort to build a wall along…

Sentencing Law and Policy

SCOTUS clear way for 13th federal execution in six months, prompting extended dissents from Justices Breyer and Sotomayor

By Douglas Berman

January 16, 2021

The now familiar federal execution drama has now played out one more time, this time around with Dustin Higgs securing a stay in lower courts only to see the Supreme Court allowing the execution to go forward. Notably, with this last scheduled federal execution, Justice Beyer and Justice Sotomayor each sought to say their piece in extended dissents. Justice Breyer’s fourt-page dissent starts this way: Last July the Federal Government executed Daniel Lee. Lee’s…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Blog Authors

Prez Trump grants 73 pardons and 70 commutations in final hours in office

Intriguing (and significant?) executive order from Prez Trump on "Protecting Americans From Overcriminalization Through Regulatory Reform"

Some news and notes and rulings on federal compassionate release

"Reimagining the Death Penalty: Targeting Christians, Conservatives"

Hoping for a lot more "regular" folks on Prez Trump's coming final clemency list

Remembering and honoring the (always timely) poignancy of the great words of Dr. Martin Luther King

Lots of notable death penalty stories at the state, federal and international level

"Mass Incarceration, Meet COVID-19"

Might Prez Trump announce his next round of clemency grants this weekend?

SCOTUS clear way for 13th federal execution in six months, prompting extended dissents from Justices Breyer and Sotomayor

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