INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman is among the 39 people pardoned Thursday by President Joe Biden.
On Dec. 12, the White House announced Biden is commuting the sentences of roughly 1,500 people who were released from prison and placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with pardoning 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes. It's the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history.
In the clemency recipient list, here is the description the White House provided for Nelson:
"Emily Good Nelson is a 39-year-old woman who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses when she was 19 years old. Since her release, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and now works in the healthcare field. She has spoken publicly about drug use and has volunteered as a counselor at an in-patient psychiatric facility. She is described as kind, committed to recovery and helping others, and as someone with tremendous talent and ability."
Congressman André Carson shared the following statement in response to Biden's pardons and commutations:
"Our criminal justice system should provide accountability, punishment, and restitution when the law is broken, and no one should ever be above the law. But justice must also allow for rehabilitation and restoration back into our communities when debts have been paid to society. Hoosiers believe in fairness and second chances. President Biden’s 39 pardons today – including one from Indianapolis – and commutations for 1,499 individuals will help bring more fairness and balance to our judicial system. These actions will reunite separated families and open doors to reintegrate into their communities. I commend President Biden for recognizing the rehabilitation of these individuals and for providing second chances. I hope to see more pardons to come. I also hope today’s pardons send a message of hope to all those struggling with addiction, especially during the challenging time of the holidays. Recovery is possible."
The commutations announced Thursday are for people who have served out home confinement sentences for at least one year after they were released. Prisons were uniquely bad for spreading the virus and some inmates were released in part to stop the spread. At one point, 1 in 5 prisoners had COVID-19, according to a tally kept by The Associated Press.
Biden said he would be taking more steps in the weeks ahead and would continue to review clemency petitions. The second largest single-day act of clemency was by Barack Obama, with 330, shortly before leaving office in 2017.
“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a statement. “As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offenses.”