President Trump commuted the prison sentence of 63-year-old nonviolent drug offender Alice Johnson. The commutation comes a week after Kim Kardashian went to the White House to discuss the case with the president.
Alice Johnson was convicted in 1996 for helping drug dealers to communicate. At the age of 41 she went to federal prison with no chance of parole. Behind bars, she became a grandmother, and then great-grandmother, according to an op-ed by Johnson, published by CNN.
So grateful to @realDonaldTrump, Jared Kushner & to everyone who has showed compassion & contributed countless hours to this important moment for Ms. Alice Marie Johnson. Her commutation is inspirational & gives hope to so many others who are also deserving of a second chance.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 6, 2018
Kim Kardashian West became aware of Johnson’s story through a video made by Mic last year. Since seeing and retweeting the video, Kardashian West took up her cause and spoke with Trump advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner over the course of several months, Mic reported.
“Ms. Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behavior and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades. Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison, and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates,” reads a statement from the White House on the commutation. “While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance.”
The statement also noted praise and letters from prison staff who supported Johnson’s bid for clemency.
In the statement, Johnson’s prison warden, Arcala Washington-Adduci, said “since [Johnson’s] arrival at this institution, she has exhibited outstanding and exemplary work ethic. She is considered to be a model inmate who is willing to go above and beyond in all work tasks.”
Good luck to Alice Johnson. Have a wonderful life!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2018
Johnson’s clemency bid was overlooked by the Obama administration, which Johnson mentioned in the original Mic video. She thought she fit all the criteria for clemency and was surprised she was overlooked while over 200 others went free.
Her commutation comes not long after Trump pardoned deceased boxer Jack Johnson. Continuous efforts to pardon the boxer were unsuccessful during previous administrations, including those of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, The Washington Post reported.
President Trump mentioned in a tweet how filmmaker and actor Sylvester Stallone was key to his decision in clearing the name of the first black boxing champion. Boxing legend Lennox Lewis and current champion Deontay Wilder accompanied Stallone to the pardon signing at the White House, on May 24, the Post reported.
“When he tweeted, my entire life changed. I appreciate you rewriting history,” Jack Johnson’s great-great niece, Linda Haywood told Trump, via the Post. “My family can go forward knowing the pain and the shame has been replaced.”
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