World

Biden pardons marijuana offenders, cuts non-violent drug sentences

Dec 23, 2023

Washington [US], December 23: U.S. President Joe Biden reduced the prison terms of 11 people serving decades-long sentences for non-violent drug charges and pardoned potentially thousands of others with federal or Washington, D.C. marijuana possession offenses.
Biden said the actions were meant to address disparities in sentencing that have long taken a toll on the Black community, and to expand his commitment to marijuana reform.
"America was founded on the principle of equal justice under law," Biden said in a statement. "Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect this core value that makes our communities safer and stronger."
The United States has less than 5% of the world's population but a fifth of its prisoners. A disproportionate share are people of color, who make up a sizable chunk of Biden's base of support.
Biden is gearing up for an intense year of campaigning ahead of the 2024 presidential electionas his popularity sags, especially among young people.
Some of the people pardoned were serving life sentences, the White House said, including Earlie Deacon Barber of Alabama for cocaine distribution and Deondre Cordell Higgins of Missouri for distributing crack cocaine. Given recent reforms, each would have been eligible for reduced sentences if they were sentenced today.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation

More news

ABB India celebrates its 75th anniversary

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 15: ABB India marks 75 years of operations, a journey underscored by technological innovation, sustainable solutions, and significant contributions to India's industrial and social development. Since its inception in 1949, two years after Indian independence, ABB India has played a pivotal role in enabling electrification, automation, and digitalization across utilities, industries, infrastructure and transportation, aligning closely with the nation's growth priorities. ABB's predecessor companies individually, ASEA of Sweden and Brown Boveri of Switzerland, had a presence in India for over a century. Starting with products and offerings catering to a few sectors, ABB now operates across 23 traditional and emerging sectors in India.

Jan 15, 2025