President Biden on Friday granted five pardons for people convicted on drug and alcohol charges and one person convicted of murder, all of whom the White House says have shown a commitment to improving their communities.
The White House said the pardons give a new lease on life to the six people, who include veterans, a domestic abuse survivor and community volunteers who have already served out their full sentences.
“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 White House said in a statement announcing the pardons.
The most recent pardons add to Mr. Biden’s pardons for three people in April and his blanket pardon in October for those convicted on federal charges of simple marijuana possession.
The six are:
• Gary Parks Davis, 66, of Yuma, Arizona, who pleaded guilty to facilitating the sale of cocaine when he was 22. Mr. Davis served a six-month sentence in county jail and completed probation in 1981.
• Edward Lincoln De Coito III, 50, of Dublin, California, who pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking charges when he was 23 and was released from custody in 2000. Before his offense, Mr. De Coito served in the Army.
• Vicente Ray Flores, 37, of Winters, California, who pleaded guilty at age 19 to consuming ecstasy and alcohol while in the military. He was sentenced to four months in confinement after a court-martial and completed a rehabilitation program to return to active duty where he continues to serve today.
• Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas, 80, of Columbus, Ohio, who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her husband when she was 33. At trial, she testified that her husband assaulted her and threatened her before she shot him. She was sentenced to a term of one to five years following the trial. After her release, she became the director of nursing for an Ohio-based health care business.
• Charlie Byrnes Jackson, 77, of Swansea, South Carolina, who pleaded guilty to selling distilled spirits without tax stamps when he was 18 and was sentenced to five years’ probation and was barred from enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1964 due to the federal conviction. He completed his probation in 1969 and has been an active member of his church since 1987.
• John Dix Nock III, 72, of St. Augustine, Florida, who pleaded guilty to renting a facility that was used to grow marijuana plants. He was sentenced to six months’ community confinement in 1996 followed by three years of supervised release that he completed in 2000. Mr. Nock operates a contracting business and mentors young contractors.
“The president remains committed to providing second chances to individuals who have demonstrated their rehabilitation — something that elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates and law enforcement leaders agree our criminal justice system should offer,” the White House said Friday.
• Joseph Clark can be reached at jclark@washingtontimes.com.
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