List of people granted executive clemency by Barack Obama - wikipedia List of people granted executive clemency by Barack Obama This article is part of a series about Barack Obama Political positions Electoral history Early life and career Family Public image Illinois State Senator U.S. Senator from Illinois 44th President of the United States Presidency Timeline Policies Economy Energy Foreign policy Obama Doctrine Foreign trips Pardons Social Space Appointments Cabinet Judges First term Campaign for the Presidency 2008 general election Primaries Transition 1st inauguration First 100 days Affordable Care Act Iraq Withdrawal Death of Osama bin Laden Timeline : ' 09 ' 10 ' 11 ' 12 Second term Reelection campaign 2012 general election Reactions 2nd inauguration Immigration executive action Iran deal Cuban thaw Timeline : ' 13 ' 14 ' 15 ' 16 ' 17 Post-presidency Planned Library One America Appeal Dreams from My Father The Audacity of Hope Nobel Peace Prize By the end of his presidency on January 20, 2017, Barack Obama had exercised his constitutional power to grant executive clemency -- that is, `` pardon, commutation of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, and reprieve '' -- to 1,927 individuals convicted of federal crimes. Of the acts of clemency, 1,715 were commutations ( including 504 life sentences ) and 212 were pardons. Most individuals granted executive clemency by Obama had been convicted on drug charges, and had received lengthy and sometimes mandatory sentences at the height of the War on Drugs. Obama holds the record for the largest single - day use of the clemency power, granting 330 commutations on January 19, 2017, his last full day in office. He also has issued more commutations than the past thirteen presidents combined. Contents 1 Constitutional provision 2 Definitions 3 Pardons and commutations 3.1 Pardons 3.1. 1 December 3, 2010 3.1. 2 May 20, 2011 3.1. 3 November 21, 2011 3.1. 4 March 1, 2013 3.1. 5 December 19, 2013 3.2 Commutations 3.2. 1 November 21, 2011 3.2. 2 June 3, 2016 3.2. 3 December 20, 2016 3.2. 4 January 17, 2017 3.2. 5 January 19, 2017 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links Constitutional provision The pardon powers of the President are outlined in Article Two of the United States Constitution ( Section 2, Clause 1 ), which provides : The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States ; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. Definitions A pardon is an executive order granting clemency for a conviction, it may be granted `` at any point after the... commission '' of the crime. As per Justice Department regulations, convicted persons may only apply five or more years after their sentence has been completed. However, the President 's power to pardon is not restricted by any temporal constraints except that the crime must have been committed. Its practical effect is the restoration of civil rights and statutory disabilities ( i.e., firearm rights, occupational licensing ) associated with a past criminal conviction. In rarer cases, such as the pardon of Richard Nixon, a pardon can also halt criminal proceedings and prevent an indictment. A commutation is the mitigation of the sentence of someone currently serving a sentence for a crime pursuant to a conviction, without vacating the conviction itself. Pardons and commutations This is a partial list of people pardoned or granted clemency by a United States president, ordered by date of pardon or commutation. For an updated list, see U.S. Department of Justice. Pardons December 3, 2010 Name Court or Home City Sentencing Date Sentence Offense James Bernard Banks United States District Court for the District of Utah 1972 2 years probation Illegal possession of government property Russell James Dixon United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia 1960 2 years probation Liquor law violation Laurens Dorsey United States District Court for the District of New Jersey 1998 5 years probation ; $71,000 restitution Conspiracy to defraud by making false statements to the Food and Drug Administration Ronald Lee Foster United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina 1963 Probation ; $20 fine Mutilation of coins Timothy James Gallagher United States District Court for the District of Arizona 1982 3 years probation Cocaine possession and conspiracy to distribute Roxane Kay Hettinger United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa 1986 30 days in jail ; 3 years probation Conspiracy to distribute cocaine Edgar Leopold Kranz Jr. General court - martial convened at Hickam Air Force Base 1994 24 months confinement ; reduction in pay Cocaine use, adultery and bouncing checks Floretta Leavy United States District Court for the District of Kansas 1984 366 days in prison ; 3 years probation Drug offenses Scoey Lathaniel Morris United States District Court for the Western District of Texas 1991 3 years probation ; $1,200 fine Counterfeiting offense. May 20, 2011 Name Court or Home City Sentencing Date Sentence Offense Randy Eugene Dyer United States District Court for the Western District of Washington 5 years in prison Conspiracy to import marijuana ( hashish ), conspiracy to remove baggage from the custody and control of the U.S. Customs Service and convey false information concerning an attempt to damage a civil aircraft Danny Alonzo Levitz United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana 1980 2 years of probation, $400 fine Conspiracy Michael Ray Neal United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia 1991 6 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release conditioned on 6 months of home confinement, $2,500 fine Manufacture, assembly, modification and distribution of equipment for unauthorized decryption of satellite cable programming Edwin Alan North United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana 1980 6 months of unsupervised probation Transfer of a firearm without payment of transfer tax Allen Edward Peratt United States District Court for the District of South Dakota 1990 30 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine Christine Marie Rossiter United States District Court for the District of Nebraska 1992 3 years of probation conditioned on performance of 500 hours of community service Conspiracy to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana Patricia Ann Weinzatl United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 2001 3 years of probation, $5,000 fine Structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements Bobby Gerald Wilson United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia 1985 31⁄2 months in prison, 5 years of probation conditioned on performance of 300 hours of community service, $400 fine Aiding and abetting the possession and sale of illegal American alligator hides ( Lacey Act ) November 21, 2011 Name Court or Home City Sentencing Date Sentence Offense Lesley Claywood Berry Jr. United States District Court for the District of Minnesota 3 years in prison Conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana Bobby Jackson United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama 5 years probation and $20,000 fine Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 1,000 pounds of marijuana Ricky Dale Collett United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky 2002 1 year of probation conditioned on 60 days of home detention Aiding and abetting in the manufacture of 61 marijuana plants Martin Kaprelian United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1984 9 years in prison, 5 years of probation Conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, transporting stolen property, concealing stolen property Thomas Paul Ledford United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee 1995 1 year of probation conditioned on performance of 100 hours of community service Conducting and directing an illegal gambling business March 1, 2013 Name Court or Home City Sentencing Date Sentence Offense Robert Leroy Bebee Rockville, Maryland 1979 Two years probation Misprision ( concealment ) of a felony James Anthony Bordinaro Gloucester, Massachusetts 1991 12 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and a $55,000 fine Conspiracy to restrain, suppress, and eliminate competition in violation of the Sherman Act ; conspiracy to submit false statements Kelli Elisabeth Collins Harrison, Arkansas 1994 Five years probation Aiding and abetting a wire fraud Edwin Hardy Futch, Jr. Pembroke, Georgia 1976 Five years probation, $2,399.72 restitution Theft from an interstate shipment Cindy Marie Griffith Moyock, North Carolina 2000 Two years probation with 100 hours of community service Distribution of satellite cable television decryption devices Roy Eugene Grimes, Sr. Athens, Tennessee 1961 18 months probation Falsely altering a United States postal money order, uttering, and publishing a forged and altered money order with intent to defraud Jon Christopher Kozeliski Decatur, Illinois 1994 One year of probation with six months of home confinement, $10,000 fine Conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods Jimmy Ray Mattison Anderson, South Carolina 1969 Three years probation Conspiracy to transport and cause the transportation of altered securities in interstate commerce, ; transporting and causing the transportation of altered securities in interstate commerce An Na Peng Honolulu, Hawaii Two years probation, $2,000 fine Conspiracy to defraud the Immigration and Naturalization Service Michael John Petri Montrose, South Dakota 1989 Five years imprisonment, three years supervised release Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance ( cocaine ) Karen Alicia Ragee Decatur, Illinois 1994 One year of probation with six months of home confinement, $2,500 fine Conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods Jamari Salleh Alexandria, Virginia 1989 Four years probation, $5,000 fine, $5,900 restitution False claims upon and against the United States Alfor Sharkey Omaha, Nebraska 1994 Three years probation with 100 hours of community service, $2,750 restitution Unauthorized acquisition of food stamps Donald Barrie Simon, Jr. Chattanooga, Tennessee 1982 Two years imprisonment, three years probation Aiding and abetting in the theft of an interstate shipment Lynn Marie Stanek Tualatin, Oregon 1986 Six months in jail, five years probation conditioned on residence in a community treatment center for a period not to exceed one year Unlawful use of a communication facility to distribute cocaine Larry Wayne Thornton Forsyth, Georgia Four years probation Possession of an unregistered firearm ; possession of a firearm without a serial number Donna Kaye Wright Friendship, Tennessee 54 days imprisonment, three years probation conditioned on performance of six hours of community service per week Embezzlement and misapplication of bank funds December 19, 2013 Name Court or Home City Sentencing Date Sentence Offense William Ricardo Alvarez Marietta, Georgia District of Puerto Rico 1979 Time served after nine months ' imprisonment, four years ' supervised release ( April 30, 1997 ; amended July 31, 1997 ) Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin ; conspiracy to import heroin Charlie Lee Davis, Jr. Wetumpka, Alabama Middle District of Alabama 1995 87 months ' imprisonment, five years ' supervised release ( March 21, 1995 ) Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base ; use of a minor to distribute cocaine base Ronald Eugene Greenwood Crane, Missouri District of South Dakota Three years ' probation, conditioned on six months ' home confinement, 100 hours community service, $5,000 restitution, $1,000 fine ( November 18, 1996 ) Conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act Little Joe Hatch, aka Joe Hatch Sr. Lake Placid, Florida Southern District of Florida 1990 60 months ' imprisonment, four years ' supervised release ( May 15, 1990 ) Possession with intent to distribute marijuana Martin Alan Hatcher Foley, Alabama, Southern District Of Alabama 1992 5 years probation Distribution and possession with intent to distribute marijuana Derek James Laliberte District of Maine ( October 2, 1992 ; amended May 21, 1993 ). 18 months ' imprisonment, 2 years ' supervised release Money Laundering Alfred J. Mack District of Columbia Superior Court ( April 5, 1982 ) 18 to 54 months ' imprisonment Unlawful distribution of heroin Robert Andrew Schindler District of Utah ( May 14, 1996 ). Three years ' probation, four months ' home confinement, $10,000 restitution Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud Willie Shaw, Jr. District of South Carolina ( August 7, 1974 ) Fifteen years ' imprisonment Armed bank robbery Kimberly Lynn Stout, formerly known as Kimberly Lynn Cooley Western District of Virginia ( November 9, 1993 ) One day imprisonment, three years ' supervised release ( including five months home confinement ) Bank embezzlement, Fraud Bernard Anthony Sutton, Jr. Eastern District of Virginia ( April 4, 1989 ) Three years ' probation, $825 restitution, $500 fine Theft of personal property Chris Deann Switzer District of Nebraska ( June 25, 1996 ) Four years ' probation, conditioned on six months home confinement, 200 hours ' community service Conspiracy to violate narcotics laws ( methamphetamine ) Miles Thomas Wilson Williamsburg, Ohio Southern District of Ohio 1981 Three years ' probation ( July 15, 1981 ) Mail fraud Commutations November 21, 2011 Name Court Sentenced Sentence Offense Terms of commutation Eugenia Marie Jennings United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois 2001 262 months ( 21 years, 10 months ) in prison, 8 years of supervised release, $1,750 fine Distribution of cocaine base Sentence expired on December 21, 2011, leaving intact and in effect the eight - year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence. Mark Anthony Jones United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida 1999 Life imprisonment ; 10 years ' supervised release Distribution of cocaine base Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015, leaving intact and in effect the 10 - year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence. Rory Larry Lee United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 1990 Life imprisonment ; 10 years ' supervised release Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base ( enhanced penalty ), distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base ( two counts ) N / A. December 19, 2013 Name Court Sentenced Sentence Offense Terms of Commutation Clarence Aaron United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama December 10, 1993 Life imprisonment ; 5 years ' supervised release Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, attempt to possess cocaine with intent to distribute ( erroneously listed in the judgment as conspiracy to distribute cocaine ) Sentence of imprisonment to expire on April 17, 2014, leaving intact and in effect the five - year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence On July 13, 2015, Obama announced he would be commuting the sentences of 46 drug offenders. June 3, 2016 On June 6, 2016, Obama announced he would be commuting the sentences of 42 offenders. Name Court Sentencing Date Time served Offense Terms of commutation Eric E. Alvarez Eastern District of North Carolina 2000 360 months ( 30 years ) in prison, 5 years of supervised release Distribution of cocaine and cocaine base Sentence expired on October 1, 2016, leaving intact and in effect the five - year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence. Dale Baldwin Middle District of Florida 1995 Life imprisonment ; 10 years ' supervised release Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base Prison sentence commuted to expire on October 1, 2016, leaving intact and in effect the 10 - year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence. December 20, 2016 Obama granted 78 commutations on this day. January 17, 2017 On January 17, 2017, Obama commuted the sentence of 209 individuals ( 109 of whom faced life sentences ). These included Chelsea Manning and Oscar López Rivera, enabling them to be released from prison on May 17, 2017. Manning 's sentence initially ran through the year 2045. Obama also pardoned James Cartwright, who was awaiting sentencing for giving false statements to federal investigators. January 19, 2017 Obama commuted the prison sentences of 330 federal inmates, particularly drug offenders, on Thursday, January 19, 2017, his last full day in office. Obama did so, as one of his final acts in office, in order to reduce what he viewed as overly harsh punishments. See also Article Two of the United States Constitution List of people pardoned or granted clemency by the President of the United States List of people pardoned by George W. Bush List of people pardoned by Bill Clinton Notes As he finishes his second year in office, Obama pardons nine people `` President Obama Grants Nine Pardons ''. whitehouse.gov. December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2010. References Jump up ^ `` Office of the Pardon Attorney ''. United States Department of Justice. ^ Jump up to : Neil Eggelston, ( 1 ), White House ( January 2017 ). ^ Jump up to : Allie Malloy, ( 2 ), CNN ( December 2016 ). Jump up ^ Matt Apuzzo, After Obama Push for Clemency, Hints of Reversal Likely to Come, New York Times ( November 22, 2016 ). Jump up ^ `` Obama grants 330 more commutations, bringing total to a record 1,715 ''. USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ `` Obama grants final 330 commutations to nonviolent drug offenders ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ Obama commutes prison sentences for 330 before leaving office Jump up ^ `` Ex Parte Garland ''. LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 06. The power thus conferred is unlimited, with the exception stated. It extends to every offence known to the law, and may be exercised at any time after its commission, either before legal proceedings are taken or during their pendency or after conviction and judgment. ^ Jump up to : `` USDOJ : Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Executive Clemency ''. USDOJ. Jump up ^ `` Pardons Granted by President Barack Obama ( 2009 - 2017 ) PARDON Department of Justice ''. www.justice.gov. Retrieved 26 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` President Obama Grants Pardons and commutations ''. www.whitehouse.gov. ^ Jump up to : `` An Obama rarity : 13 pardons ''. Usatoday.com. December 20, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Liptak, Kevin ( July 13, 2015 ). `` President Barack Obama commutes sentences of 46 drug offenders ''. CNN. Retrieved April 3, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Utah man whose long drug sentence stirred controversy is released ''. Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Savage, Charlie ( January 17, 2017 ). `` Obama Commutes Bulk of Chelsea Manning 's Sentence ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Barack Obama conmuta sentencia de Oscar López ''. El Nuevo Día ( in Spanish ). Retrieved January 17, 2017. Jump up ^ Obama commutes prison sentences for 330 before leaving office External links Clemency Statistics by President, U.S. Office of the Pardon Attorney Barack Obama 44th President of the United States ( 2009 -- 2017 ) U.S. Senator from Illinois ( 2005 -- 2008 ) Illinois Senator from the 13th district ( 1997 -- 2004 ) Life and politics Early life and career Illinois Senate career 2004 Democratic National Convention U.S. Senate career Political positions Administration foreign policy Economic Energy Mass surveillance Social Space Nobel Peace Prize West Wing Week Presidency Transition 2009 inauguration 2013 inauguration First 100 days Timeline 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 January 2017 Foreign policy War in Afghanistan Iraq withdrawal Death of Osama bin Laden Iran deal Cuban Thaw Obama Doctrine Health Care reform Healthy, Hunger - Free Kids Act New START Pardons Presidential trips international 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Judicial appointments Supreme Court controversies Cabinet Presidential Library and Center Books Dreams from My Father ( 1995 ) The Audacity of Hope ( 2006 ) Of Thee I Sing ( 2010 ) Speeches `` The Audacity of Hope '' ( 2004 ) `` Yes We Can '' ( 2008 ) `` A More Perfect Union '' ( 2008 ) `` Change Has Come to America '' ( 2008 ) `` A New Birth of Freedom '' ( 2009 ) Joint session of Congress ( 2009 ) `` A New Beginning '' ( 2009 ) Joint session of Congress ( health care reform ) ( 2009 ) State of the Union address 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Tucson memorial speech ( 2011 ) Joint session of Congress ( jobs ) ( 2011 ) `` You did n't build that '' ( 2012 ) Selma 50th anniversary ( 2015 ) Farewell address ( 2017 ) Elections Illinois State Senate election, 1996, 1998, 2002 Illinois 's 1st congressional district election, 2000 United States Senate election, 2004 Democratic presidential primaries, 2008 2012 Obama primary campaign, 2008 Democratic National Convention, 2008 2012 Presidential campaign, 2008 endorsements GOP / conservative support Presidential election, 2008 Presidential campaign, 2012 endorsements Presidential election, 2012 international reactions Family Michelle Obama ( wife ) Ann Dunham ( mother ) Barack Obama Sr. ( father ) Lolo Soetoro ( step - father ) Maya Soetoro - Ng ( maternal half - sister ) Stanley Armour Dunham ( maternal grandfather ) Madelyn Dunham ( maternal grandmother ) Marian Shields Robinson ( mother - in - law ) Craig Robinson ( brother - in - law ) Bo ( family dog ) Sunny ( family dog ) Public image News and political events Oprah Winfrey 's endorsement Citizenship conspiracy theories litigation legislation Religion conspiracy theories Bill Ayers controversy Jeremiah Wright controversy Republican and conservative support ( 2008 ) Assassination threats 2008 Denver 2008 Tennessee First inauguration invitations Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial Citizen 's Briefing Book Tea Party protests New Energy for America Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Gates - Crowley Rose Garden meeting Firing of Shirley Sherrod Impeachment efforts Books about Bibliography Obama : From Promise to Power Barack Obama : Der schwarze Kennedy Redemption Song The Case Against Barack Obama The Obama Nation Culture of Corruption Catastrophe Barack and Michelle The Speech The Obama Story Game Change Game Change 2012 Rising Star Music Obama Girl `` I Got a Crush... on Obama '' `` Barack the Magic Negro '' will.i.am `` Yes We Can '' `` We Are the Ones '' `` There 's No One as Irish as Barack O'Bama '' `` Sí Se Puede Cambiar '' `` My President '' `` Deadheads for Obama '' `` Air and Simple Gifts '' Change Is Now Hope ! -- Das Obama Musical `` Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney '' Barack 's Dubs `` Signed, Sealed, Delivered I 'm Yours '' Film By the People : The Election of Barack Obama ( 2009 ) 2016 : Obama 's America ( 2012 ) The Road We 've Traveled ( 2012 ) Southside with You ( 2016 ) Barry ( 2016 ) Other media On social media Artists for Obama `` Hope '' poster `` Joker '' poster Situation Room Obama logo In comics Miscellaneous Barack Obama Day ( Illinois ) Obama Day ( Kenya ) Awards and honors Namesakes ← George W. Bush Donald Trump → Book Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_people_granted_executive_clemency_by_Barack_Obama&oldid=803874883 '' Categories : 2010s in the United States 2010s - related lists Lists of people by legal status Presidency of Barack Obama Recipients of American presidential pardons Hidden categories : CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) Use mdy dates from January 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 5 October 2017, at 05 : 58. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is it called when the president commutes a prison sentence
Answer: executive clemency