Joe Biden pardons people before new year for drug, murder convictions

President Biden pardoned six people Friday — including a battered wife who killed her husband decades ago, a man who sold untaxed whiskey at age 18 and a former soldier who pleaded guilty to getting high on ecstasy.

“Today, President Biden is granting six full pardons for individuals who have served their sentences and have demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities and the lives of those around them,” a White House official said.

“These include individuals who honorably served in the US military, volunteer in their communities, and survived domestic abuse.

“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 official added.

Biden, currently vacationing at a donor’s home on St. Croix, pardoned Gary Davis, 66, of Yuma, Ariz., Edward De Coito, 50, of Dublin, Calif., Vincente Flores, 37, of Winters, Calif., Beverly Ibn-Tamas, 80, of Columbus, Ohio, Charlie Jackson, 77, of Swansea, SC, and John Nock, 72, of St. Augustine, Fla.

None of the recipients are currently in prison, but the reprieves can alleviate the collateral consequences of a conviction on applications for employment, housing, firearms and student loans — while also giving an emotional reprieve from a black mark on their record.