NY Governor Hochul pardons nine immigrants to stop their deportation and vows to increase use of the power
New York Governor Kathy Hochul pardoned nine immigrants and commuted one on Friday as she announced her plans to refurbish the state's clemency process.
Hochul, 63, had selected the group she granted for clemency after a thorough process of choosing those who had fully reformed themselves in spite of their convictions.
The governor has since announced that she does not plan to deport the immigrants as she is planning to help those pardoned stay within the country.
Hochul also announced her plans to assemble an advisory panel to help her oversee clemency applications as a method of reforming the Executive clemency program.
The nine pardoned include Ana Sanchez Ventura, Juan Vinas, Faustino Reyes, Sandra Williams, Francisco Vargas, Orlando Fernandez Taveras, Hanley Gomez, Juan Suazo and Edilberta Reyes Canales.
Former Jamaican drug convict Roger Cole, 55, had his 125-year sentence commuted after receiving a lengthy imprisonment period for substance-related crimes.
New York Governor Hochul, 63, pardoned nine immigrants and commuted one on Friday
Hochul also announced on Friday that she plans to refurbish the clemency process including using an advisory panel to make decisions on an ongoing basis, rather than once a year, and provide more opportunity for applications to be thorougly considered
Orlando Fernandez Tavera, 46, was one of the pardoned on Friday after he had been convicted of petit larceny, attempted petit larceny, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal trespass, attempted resisting Arrest, trespass, and third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle between 1998 and 2008
'As Governor, I have a unique and solemn responsibility to carefully use the power of clemency to address individuals in the criminal justice system who have made mistakes and have taken extraordinary steps to rehabilitate themselves,' Hochul said, according to the New York State site.
'I am granting clemency to these deserving individuals who have exemplified rehabilitation, and I am committed to increased transparency and accountability in this process going forward.
'No one should be defined by their worst mistake, and these individuals have worked tirelessly to atone for theirs.'
As part of the new clemency process, Hochul has assigned experts from a variety of fields for the panel including members of law enforcement, public defense, the judiciary, and clergy, and former convicts.
The new panel will review applications on an ongoing basis, rather than once a year, and increase attention to detail in order to ensure every candidate is being thoroughly examined.
Rallies had been organized for Hochul to increase pardons in an attempt to argue for a refurbished clemency process
In addition, Hochul also announced her office will release the number of applications being delivered on a year-to-date basis as well as how many have been accepted or denied.
Applicants will also receive a notice biannually to confirm their case status and what additional information they can submit for review.
However, the governor has been criticized by a campaign group who have pushed for further commutations and to reduce the state's jail population.
'Today, Governor Hochul has drastically failed Black and Latinx communities by only granting clemency to one incarcerated New Yorker,' Jose Saldana, the director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign said.
'While we welcome home that person and celebrate for their loved ones, and we also recognize the life-saving value of the pardons granted to people long since released, we are heartbroken knowing that so many of our mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers are suffering behind bars and facing a slow death penalty.'
Governor Andrew Cuomo had commuted 41 prison sentences during his final years in office before he resigned in November
Rallies had been organized for Hochul to increase pardons in an attempt to argue for a refurbished clemency process.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had commuted 41 prison sentences during his final years in office before he resigned in November due to sexual harassment allegations against him.
However, Hochul's new plan for an upgraded clemency process will see more opportunities for people to be pardoned.
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