Biden Grants Six Pardons for Years-Old Crimes, Advocates Ask 'What About Nonviolent Pot Prisoners?'

President Biden granted full pardons to six people who had already served their sentences, including for drug-related crimes and second-degree murder.

Among those pardoned was a 72-year-old Florida man, John Dix Nock III, who served time for unknowingly renting a place he owned to someone who was farming cannabis in 1996.

Two others on the list included an 80-year-old woman who was convicted of murdering her abusive husband about half a century ago and a man who pleaded guilty to using a phone to get cocaine transaction in the 1970s.

The pardons were announced on Friday as the president spent time with his family in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

Biden had granted three pardons before that since taking office, in addition to October's high-profile pardon of federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana.

"President Biden believes that America is a second-chance nation, and that providing meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation enables those who have been incarcerated to become productive and respectful members laws of society," the White House said. official said on Friday.

What about cannabis?

After the October pardons, the Biden administration has essentially ignored pleas from cannabis advocates and families of cannabis prisoners who want to see the country's nonviolent offenders free from cannabis. Penal reform and cannabis advocate Weldon Angelos, who was jailed and sentenced to 55 years for a non-violent weed-related offense, called on Biden to take cannabis-related pardons and expungements seriously. p>

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.