Govt. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday pardoned 13 people, granting clemency to 11 and commuting sentences to two others who will receive early parole opportunities.
The action brings the total number of pardons granted by the governor to 120 since she took office.
Recipients have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, according to the recommendations of the Pardon Advisory Panel, made up of impartial experts, which Hochul agreed to as part of reforms to the state’s pardon process.
“After careful consideration and analysis by a panel of independent experts, I am granting clemency to 13 individuals who have shown remorse, rehabilitation and improvement in themselves and their communities,” Hochul said. “Since taking office, my administration has made significant changes to New York’s clemency program to make the process more efficient, fair and transparent, and I remain committed to working with law enforcement, victims’ rights groups, prosecutors and reform advocates to ensure a fair and accountable clemency process for all individuals seeking help in New York.”
The 11 people who received pardons have lived crime-free lives for a significant amount of time — more than 25 years — and have demonstrated positive contributions to their communities, according to information from the governor’s office. These pardons are meant to ease the lingering burden of their felony convictions, even though the sentences ended years ago.
Among those pardoned are Peter Asan, 60, convicted of attempted first-degree robbery in 1989; Rolando Perdomo, 67, convicted of assault in 1988 and drug possession charges in 1985; and Vivian Jackson, 67, convicted of numerous drug-related offenses between 1992 and 1999. Other pardons include Dolly Castrillon, 45; Jawid Naim, 48; Michael Eliáš, 54 years old; Sixto Carrasquillo Jr., 56; Edwin Buxo, 57; Denise De Simone Fierro, 60; dr. Eduardo Rocha, 57; and Ruben Lindo, 53.
Two sentencing changes allow for earlier parole hearings for individuals who would otherwise wait years to appear before a parole board.
Terrance Cole, 59, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served four years, was sentenced to 20 years to life as a persistent offender after being convicted of four counts of second-degree burglary in 2014. His conviction stemmed from struggles with heroin addiction that began after his honorable discharge. He served over 11.5 years in prison and earned an associate’s degree while in prison. Without parole, he would not be eligible for parole until 2034, when he would be nearly 70 years old.
Raphael Jackson, 53, was sentenced to 16 years to life as a persistent offender for two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Jackson became addicted to crack at age 16 after being exposed to domestic violence and drug use. He served more than 10 years in prison with no disciplinary offences, and worked as a chaplain’s clerk and clerk in a law library, providing legal aid to other incarcerated persons. Under the original sentence, he would not have been eligible for parole until 2031, when he would have been nearly 60 years old.
The Hochula administration made several reforms to improve the pardon process. The Office of Executive Pardons now regularly sends letters to applicants about the status of their case and how to submit additional information. The governor’s office has also launched an updated online center with application form templates to guide potential applicants through the process.
Leave a Reply