Trump pardons ex-drug offender

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-commutes-sentence-grandmother-serving-life-drug-charges-after-kim-n880291

President Donald Trump commuted the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson on Wednesday, just days after reality star Kim Kardashian West lobbied the president in an Oval Office meeting to intervene on behalf of Johnson, who was serving a life sentence on drug charges.

Johnson, 63, has been in federal prison more than 21 years after being found guilty in connection to a drug trafficking conspiracy, and she would have died behind bars without the president's clemency. She is one of thousands of Americans serving life sentences for nonviolent offenses, according to a 2013 report by the American Civil Liberties Union, the vast majority of whom are there on drug crimes.

"Ms. Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behavior and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades," the White House said in a statement. "While this administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance."

Video from NBC affiliate WVTM of Birmingham showed Johnson throw her arms wide to embrace family after leaving Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville Wednesday.

"I'm free to hug my family," Johnson said. "I'm free to live life. I'm free to start over. I can not — this is the greatest day of my life ... My heart is just bursting with gratitude for what has taken place," She thanked President Trump and Kardashian West.

Good for her. I hope she inspires Trump to do the same for more people.

"If we don't get tough on the drug dealers we're wasting our time. And that toughness includes the death penalty." - Donald J. Trump, March 2018

Originally posted by @vivify
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-commutes-sentence-grandmother-serving-life-drug-charges-after-kim-n880291

President Donald Trump commuted the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson on Wednesday, just days after reality star Kim Kardashian West lobbied the president in an Oval Office meeting to intervene on behalf of Johnson, who w ...[text shortened]... th gratitude for what has taken place," She thanked President Trump and Kardashian West.

There are many thousands of people just like this lady now in prison, serving very long sentences. Where is Kim Kardashian's and Donald Trump's compassion for them?? I get the feeling this is just another photo op. 😵

The post that was quoted here has been removed

But not for the likes of you or me. Which severely limits the number of people unjustly held like Johnson.

A long time ago a friend, Anthony Dubois, in Denver, was convicted of possession of a single marijuana joint and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Back in those days, the 60's, they didn't have metal detectors.
Anthony brought in a pistol and when the sentence was announced, he pulled out the pistol and told the judge, YOU are the one responsible for this and shot himself in the head, he died instantly.
I still shudder over that whole affair.

There are literally tens of thousands of people in very long prison terms for such offenses, not so much now but there have to be a large number of people forgotten in the same category.