NY Governor Quietly Grants Clemency to Murderers
JAZZ SHAW 10:00 AM | May 26, 2024
While inflation and immigration remain among the highest priorities for voters this year, concerns about rising crime rates are also a leading issue. Donald Trump was touting his plan to make the streets of New York City safe again during his recent rally in the Bronx and Republican governors around the country have been touting any drops in crime rates that have been measured. But that message doesn't seem to have sunk in for New York Governor Kathy Hochul. While other leaders are working to lock up the bad guys, she has been springing more people loose. On Friday she granted clemency to thirteen more people. Many were convicted of dealing hard drugs, but two of them were serving life sentences for murder. Donald Trump is only trailing Joe Biden by nine points in New York right now. Is this really the message she wants to be sending? (Gothamist)
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday granted clemency to 13 people, including several convicted of drug crimes decades ago and two serving life sentences for murder.
Hochul's announcement follows a promise she made in 2021 to use her executive clemency powers on a rolling basis instead of granting pardons and commutations just once a year during the winter holiday season. Since becoming governor, she has granted clemency to 72 people, according to her office.
A spokesperson for Hochul said more than 1,600 clemency applications are currently pending: 1,184 for sentence commutations, including reduced prison time, and 472 for pardons. Criminal justice advocates have urged her to commute the sentences of more people who are still in prison.
https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2024/05/26/ny-governor-quietly-grants-clemency-to-murderers-n3789098#google_vignette