Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Three people pardoned by Biden
Sentences commuted for 75 nonviolent drug offenders
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday pardoned three people, including the first Black Secret Service agent on a presidential detail from the Kennedy era, and commuted the sentences of 75 nonviolent drug offenders amid calls from criminal justice advocates for more leniency in a system that has disproportionately harmed people of color.
“America is a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation,” the president said in a statement. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect these core values that enable safer and stronger communities.”
This marked the first time Biden has used his clemency powers in his presidency.
“During Second Chance Month, I am using my authority under the Constitution to uphold those values by pardoning and commuting the sentences of fellow Americans,” Biden said.
Biden’s use of his sweeping clemency powers appears more targeted on righting injustices than his predecessor, Donald Trump, who was known for granting pardons to celebrities and political allies who had broken the law.
The Biden administration also announced plans to help individuals transition back into society after incarceration, including a program that provides job training, increased support for housing, health care and educational needs; and access to grants for former convicts hoping to start small businesses.
“As I laid out in my comprehensive strategy to reduce gun crime, helping those who served their time return to their families and become contributing members of their communities is one of the most effective ways to reduce recidivism and decrease crime,” the president said.
Among those pardoned was Abraham Bolden Sr., who was the first Black person on a presidential Secret Service detail, serving during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. In 1964, he was charged with offenses for trying to sell a copy of a Secret Service file.
Bolden’s first trial ended in a hung jury. He was convicted at a second trial although later key witnesses against him admitted to lying at the request of the prosecutor. He served several years in federal custody.
Bolden, 87, of Chicago, has consistently maintained his innocence and argued that he was a target because he exposed the racism prevalent in the 1960s in the Secret Service. Since then, he has been praised for challenging racial injustice and for other community service contributions since his release from prison.
Biden also pardoned Betty Jo Bogans, 51, of Houston. Bogans was convicted in 1998 of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine after trying to transport drugs for her boyfriend and his accomplice, neither of whom were detained or arrested.
Bogans was a single mother with no prior record when she received a seven-year sentence for possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute the narcotic. Since her release, Bogans has spent nearly two decades working and raising her son while undergoing cancer treatment.
Biden pardoned Dexter Jackson, who did not sell marijuana but was convicted of allowing dealers to use his pool hall for drug transactions.
Jackson, 52, of Athens, Ga., pleaded guilty and served time. After his release, he turned his pool hall into a cellphone repair business that partnered with a program to give local high school students work experience.
Biden also commuted the sentence of 75 nonviolent drug offenders from around the country, many of whom were serving in home confinement.