Biden grants clemency to Douglasville man who pled guilty to non-violent drug offense

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — A Douglasville man was granted clemency by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, a release from the White House said.

Biden gave Jeffrey Alan Lewis, 58, clemency along with 10 others as part of Second Chance Month, according to a statement from the president.

“America is a Nation founded on the promise of second chances. During Second Chance Month, we reaffirm our commitment to rehabilitation and reentry for people returning to their communities post-incarceration. We also recommit to building a criminal justice system that lives up to those ideals and ensures that everyone receives equal justice under law,” Biden said in a statement in part. “I am using my clemency power to pardon 11 individuals and commute the sentences of five individuals who were convicted of non-violent drug offenses.”

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Lewis pled guilty to a non-violent drug charge at the age of 40, according to the White House.

Explaining the clemency move for Lewis, Biden said in a statement that had he been sentenced under current laws and sentencing practices, Lewis would have had a “significantly shorter sentence.”

Lewis had already served his sentence and completed the obligations necessary for a supervised release, the White House said in a statement.

“Since his release, he has been consistently employed, contributes to the community through charitable works and active community engagement, and he has built a reputation as ‘a family man,’” according to officials.

Lewis was the only person to receive clemency from Georgia in this round of petition approvals.

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