Healey recommends 3 pardons; 2 go against panel’s advice

Each of the pardons now goes to the Governor’s Council, which has the power to approve or reject Healey’s recommendations.

In Jean’s case, the 29-year-old would be the first person to be granted two pardon requests by healey. he was convicted of robbing a seekonk bank in 2016 at a time, healey’s office said, when he was homeless and in “desperate need of money.”

Jean last year received a socalled conditional pardon, under which he would not be able to obtain a firearms license. At the time, Jean — who came to the united states from haiti at age 6 — had sought a pardon so he could renew his green card and avoid deportation.

After receiving his pardon, he sought another hearing before the board to seek an unconditional pardon, which it denied. In a letter released by healey’s office, members of the advisory board acknowledged there are legal arguments “as to whether the firearm license condition attached to his pardon” affects Jean’s ability to get a green card or gain us citizenship.

but the majority of the board said its role is to issue recommendations for a pardon, not determine the “legal significance” of one, and it stuck to its original recommendation of more limited clemency.

healey, however, chose to now recommend an unconditional pardon. Karissa hand, a healey spokesperson, said the governor believes Jean has “continued to demonstrate good behavior and contributions to community and because an unconditional pardon would lower barriers that he is facing to living securely.”

healey is also seeking to forgive several of Veal’s convictions, including one in 1981 for knowingly receiving stolen property when he was 21 years old. Veal, known as “chill,” was also convicted of assault and battery two years later, and of larceny in 1991.

the 63-year-old brockton resident is now an auto body painter, volunteers at two Mattapan community centers, and started a basketball league tournament through his nonprofit, chills Diamond Ring education foundation, according to healey’s office.

he sought a pardon so he could work as a constable, and be able to apply for federal funding for his nonprofit, the governor’s office said. Veal’s request had the backing of us Representative Ayanna pressley and several state lawmakers, including state senator liz Miranda, both of whom praised Veal — a father to 10 and grandfather to 13 — for his mentor work in boston.

“the pardon recommendation of Willie ‘chill’ Veal is an example of how our commonwealth can do the right thing for someone who’s exemplary leadership in community has supported at-risk youth in the city of boston for over three decades,” Miranda said in a statement released by healey’s office.

but the advisory board argued he should not be granted clemency. In its report, it argued that Veal did not present a “compelling need” for a pardon, including how the basketball league has been “adversely affected by his criminal history.”

It also argued that Veal “minimized his involvement in his crimes, provided excuses, and while not denying the convictions and the underlying facts thereof, did not fully take responsibility for his actions,” according to its report.

Reyes, who turns 59 on friday, was convicted in 1995 of selling heroin to an undercover federal agent, and has since become a carpenter and grandfather. Reyes told the Advisory board of pardons he was wrongly convicted, and that investigators arrested him because he was wearing similar clothing as the target of their probe.

the lawrence resident and Dominican Republic native said he sought a pardon so he could obtain us citizenship.

each of the pardons now goes to the Governor’s council, which has the power to approve or reject the recommendations. the seven Democrats who currently sit on the panel have widely praised healey’s approach to pardons and, at times, have even urged her to go further in granting clemency.

baker, a Republican, issued 15 pardons across his two terms, as well as three commutations for men serving life sentences for murder. patrick, a Democrat, recommended just four pardons and one commutation over eight years in office.

healey last year became the first governor since William Weld in 1991 to recommend a pardon in their first elected year. the 13 she granted also represented the most in a governor’s first year of their term since 1983, when Michael Dukakis recommended 49 pardons and four commutations. that year was the start of Dukakis’s second term after previously he held the office from 1975 to 1979.

her actions so far include pardoning a boston Water and sewer commission employee for a decades-old juvenile assault conviction and an early care educator who was convicted 44 years ago of assault charges, including assault and battery on a police officer, when she was 18 years old.

healey has yet to recommend commuting anyone’s sentence.