Kemba Smith on clemency actions—such as presidential pardons and more

“Clemency is a legal process often used as a campaign talking point, though presidents and governors can grant it at any time, not just at the end of their term. The traditional clemency process through the Justice Department Office of the Pardon Attorney is familiar to legal and civil rights advocates, but this new role is uncharted territory. …

“Presidents, governors, and in some states, parole boards, can grant clemency in various forms.

“Clemency includes:

• Pardon — Erases a criminal conviction.
• Commutation — Reduces a prison sentence, often to time served.
• Reprieve — Temporarily delays a death row execution for legal reasons, such as a pending appeal.
• Amnesty — Grants a broader legal forgiveness, often to a group of people. …

“Elected officials are increasingly including justice-impacted people in criminal justice reform. In 2014, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe appointed [Kemba Smith] Pradia [Leading with Conviction™ 2019] to the state’s criminal sentencing commission. Five years later, she served on Virginia’s Parole Board, appointed by former Gov. Ralph Northam.

“Reflecting on her two years on the parole board, Pradia said, ‘It was very humbling and troubling. … I was grateful to have a seat at the table. I do know that he [Northam] brought me on because I was a survivor of domestic violence, and also because I brought a different perspective to the board.’

“‘It was a difficult time — being a formerly incarcerated person,’ she added.

[Gov. Northam] brought me on because … I brought a different perspective to the board.

“Many incarcerated women, mostly Black and brown, are survivors of abuse and are serving life sentences despite not committing violent acts — often referred to as ‘girlfriend crimes.’ There are over 10,000 women in federal custody, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Pradia spent 6½ years in federal prison before Clinton’s clemency for her involvement in a drug conspiracy linked to her deceased boyfriend.

“On the parole board, Pradia reviewed cases of incarcerated women, analyzing how they ended up in prison.

“A quarter of women in prison in 2021 were convicted of a drug offense, up from 12% in 1986, according to a report from the Sentencing Project. By comparison, 12% of men in prison were serving drug sentences, the report noted.

“When Northam’s term ended in 2022 and Republican Glenn Youngkin took over, Pradia’s time on the parole board ended.

“‘It was difficult, but I served my position well. I felt confident in every decision I made, but I know in leaving there was so much more work we had planned on doing as a board,’ Pradia said.

“‘I just think that in moving forward, with this particular issue,’ she said of clemency, ‘regardless of who’s in office, we need to understand that this is about freeing human lives.’”

Read the full story at CapitalBNews.org.