President Biden Grants Pardons To 6 People Who Served Their Sentences!

President Biden Grants Pardons To 6 People Who Served Their Sentences!

Six people, including a decorated Army veteran implicated in marijuana trafficking more than 25 years ago and an 80-year-old lady convicted of killing her abusive husband nearly 50 years ago, received full pardons from President Joe Biden on Friday.

People who volunteered in their communities and mentored children are among those who received pardons, which are one of the Constitution’s most expansive powers. This most recent round of pardons follows the categorical one that Vice President Biden granted to ex-offenders convicted of uncomplicated marijuana possession earlier this year.

Before the official announcement, a White House official who spoke on the record under the condition of anonymity said, “President Biden believes America is a nation of second chances and that offering meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation empowers those who have been incarcerated to become productive, law-abiding members of society.” “The president remains steadfast in his commitment to extending second chances to those who have shown signs of rehabilitation — something that elected officials from both parties, religious leaders, civil rights activists, and top law enforcement officials agree our criminal justice system should do,” the White House said in a statement.

Unlike those granted by former president Donald Trump, Biden’s end-of-year pardons concern anonymous individuals. Less than 12 hours before his term as president ended, the White House announced that President Trump had pardoned or commuted the sentences of 144 people, including celebrities, lawmakers from both parties, and some well-connected Trump loyalists.

According to the White House, Biden granted pardons to six people who were:

Gary Parks Davis, 66, of Yuma, Arizona, admitted using a phone to aid the sale of illegal cocaine more than 40 years ago. Davis completed probation in 1981 after serving his six-month sentence in county jail. After completing his undergraduate studies, he now operates a landscaping company and oversees construction projects. Even after his children graduated from high school, he remained in leadership of the neighborhood booster group and continues to generate money for the chamber of commerce and the local rotary club.

Edward Lincoln De Coito III, age 50, of Dublin, California, admitted to taking part in a plot to smuggle marijuana more than 25 years ago. Former Army and Army Reserve member De Coito was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Southwest Asia Service Medal for his prior service. De Coito spent almost 15 years as a professional electrician after being released from prison before beginning a second career as a pilot.

At 19, while serving in the military, Vincente Ray Flores, now 37, of Winters, California, used ecstasy and alcohol. He received a four-month prison term, a four-month salary loss of $700, and a rank decrease. Since then, Flores has continued to serve on active duty and received numerous awards, including the Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Through his military units, he has also volunteered for several charities, including Habitat for Humanity, a cancer research benefit, and occasions for service members coming home from deployment.

For killing her husband, Columbus, Ohio, resident Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas, 80, was found guilty of second-degree murder while armed. The 33-year-old woman, who was pregnant then, said that her husband had verbally and physically abused her just before she shot him. Ibn-Tamas was convicted of domestic abuse and given a sentence of one to five years in prison because the court declined to admit expert testimony about battered woman syndrome, a psychological ailment and behavioral pattern that may appear in victims. Ibn-Tamas currently oversees cases at the institution and was most recently the director of nursing for a healthcare organization with offices in Ohio.

One count of possession and sale of distilled spirits without tax stamps was accepted by Charlie Byrnes Jackson, 77, of Swansea, South Carolina. He received a term of five years probation for the crime he committed when he was 18 years old. Jackson tried to join the Marine Corps after graduating high school, but his application was denied due to his federal conviction. Since then, he has actively participated in his church and donated his carpentry expertise to help maintain and update church structures.

John Dix Nock III, 72, of St. Augustine, Florida, entered a guilty plea to one count of renting and preparing as an owner a location for the production of marijuana plants. In place of incarceration, he was given a six-month term of community service in 1996. Through a business networking organization, Nock currently runs a general contracting company and mentors aspiring builders. He also participates in planning an annual fishing competition for battered young men.