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NYTimes op-ed assailing Obama's pathetic pardon practices

By Douglas A. Berman

George Lardner has this effective op-ed in today's New York Times, which is headlined "No Country for Second Chances."  Here are excerpts: If by tomorrow he pardons no one but turkeys, President Obama will have the most sluggish record in this area of any American president except George W. Bush.  He?ll have outdone George Washington, who granted a pardon after 669 days.  And he will also have outlasted Bill Clinton, who took three days longer than Washington to grant his first pardons.  If Mr. Obama waits until Christmas Eve, he will make even his immediate predecessor, who waited until Dec. 23, 2002, seem more generous. Last month, President Obama turned down 605 requests for commutations ? from prisoners who wanted their sentences shortened ? and 71 for pardons...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on November 24, 2010 (boomark / email).