Clemency
Clemency is an act of mercy that reduces or removes some legal consequences of a conviction. At the federal level, the President may grant pardons and commutations for federal offenses, except in cases of impeachment. A pardon forgives the offense in a legal sense, while a commutation reduces a sentence.
Clemency is an act of mercy that reduces or removes some legal consequences of a conviction. At the federal level, the President may grant pardons and commutations for federal offenses, except in cases of impeachment. A pardon forgives the offense in a legal sense, while a commutation reduces a sentence.
Example: In December 2024, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 people on federal death row to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Common misconception: Clemency always erases a conviction or declares a person innocent. The effect depends on whether the action is a pardon, commutation, or another form of relief.
Sources: https://www.justice.gov/pardon; https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-commutations/