President Obama grants commutations to 46 federal prisoners
buzzz worthy. . . Ahead of his visit to a federal prison in Oklahoma on Thursday, President Obama today granted commutations to 46 federal prisoners serving time for non-violent drug offenses. Each year the U.S. president exercises the executive privilege base don direct feedback from the U.S. Justice Department to release inmates who have served at least 10 years of their sentence, among other behavior-related factors. In a letter to the individuals pardoned, President Obama wrote: "I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. It will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. Perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances.” Thousands of requests for clemency are turned down each year. This year the bulk of the pardons involved those with crack and cocaine handling convictions...