“President Biden believes that America is a nation of second chances, where meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation allow those incarcerated to become productive, law-abiding members of society,” said a White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ’ before the official announcement. “The president remains committed to providing a second chance to individuals who have proven themselves rehabilitated — something elected officials of both parties, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree our criminal justice system should provide.”
Unlike former President Donald Trump’s pardon recipients, Biden’s year-end pardons affect unknown individuals. With less than 12 hours before the end of his presidency, in a chaotic White House announcement, Trump granted 144 pardons and commutations, including entertainers, politicians and several close Trump allies from both parties.
According to the White House, the six people Biden pardoned were:
* Gary Parks Davis, 66, of Yuma, Arizona, admitted to using a phone to facilitate the illegal cocaine trade more than 40 years ago. Davis completed his probation in 1981 after serving a six-month sentence in the county jail. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree and now owns a landscaping business and manages construction projects. Even after his children graduated, he continued to serve as a leader of the local high school booster club and helped raise funds for the local Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce.
* Edward Lincoln De Coito III, 50, of Dublin, California, pleaded guilty to participating in a marijuana smuggling conspiracy more than 25 years ago. De Coito previously served in the Army and Army Reserve, where he received the Southwest Asian Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. After getting out of prison, De Coito worked as a journeyman electrician for about 15 years before starting his second career as a pilot.
* Vincente Ray Flores, 37, of Winters, California, used ecstasy and alcohol at age 19 while serving in the military. He was sentenced to four months in prison, forfeited four months’ wages of $700 a month, and demoted. Since then, Flores has continued to serve, and has successively won honors such as the Global Counter-Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Meritorious Unit Award. He also volunteers through his military unit for a number of causes, including Habitat for Humanity, cancer research fundraisers and events for service members returning from deployment.
* Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas, 80, of Columbus, Ohio, was convicted of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of her husband. She, who was 33 at the time, was pregnant and testified that her husband physically and verbally abused her before shooting her. During the trial, the court refused to provide expert testimony on battered woman syndrome, a psychological condition and behavioral pattern that can occur in victims of domestic violence, and Ibn-Tamas was sentenced to 1 to 5 years in prison. Ibn-Tamas most recently served as a nursing supervisor for an Ohio healthcare enterprise and continues to manage cases at the facility.
* Charlie Byrnes Jackson, 77, of Swansea, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing and selling distilled spirits without stamp duty. He was given a five-year suspended sentence for an offense he committed when he was 18. Jackson tried to enlist in the Marine Corps after high school but was turned down due to a federal conviction. Since then, he has been an active member of his church and has volunteered his carpentry skills to maintain and renovate church buildings.
* John Dix Nock III, 72, of St. Augustine, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of renting out and manufacturing a marijuana factory as an owner. In 1996, he was sentenced to 6 months community detention instead of imprisonment. Nock now runs a general contracting firm and mentors young contractors through a professional networking group. He also helped organize an annual fishing tournament to benefit abused young people.