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Norton Grateful to President Obama for Commuting Sentences of Two D.C. Residents in Latest Round of Historic Clemency

December 20, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) thanked President Obama for continuing his commitment to giving nonviolent offenders a second chance by yesterday granting 153 commutations and 78 pardons to individuals serving sentences, including commutations for two District of Columbia residents convicted under District of Columbia law for nonviolent drug offenses. The two D.C. residents are Nathaniel Law, who was serving a life imprisonment sentence, and Kevin Wise, who was serving a 26-year sentence. Both residents had their sentences commuted to expire on April 18, 2017.

“President Obama has once again demonstrated his strong commitment to giving Americans convicted of nonviolent offenses a second chance to turn their lives around and become contributing citizens,” Norton said. “Harsh, arcane laws that required mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug offenses had catastrophic impacts on communities of color across the nation. I thank President Obama for taking historic leadership and correcting the sins of our past where he can. We are particularly grateful that two D.C. residents will have their sentences commuted. Currently, clemency authority for D.C. offenders rests solely with the President, but I have introduced a bill that would give D.C. exclusive authority, like that of states, to grant clemency for criminal convictions under its laws.”