Trump Commutes Life Sentence Of Grandmother Following Kim Kardashian's Appeal
WASHINGTON (CBS News) – President Trump commuted the life sentence of a grandmother serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense, CBS News' Paula Reid reports, citing a White House official.
Alice Marie Johnson's case was championed last week by reality TV personality Kim Kardashian West, who met with Mr. Trump at the White House Wednesday about sentencing and prison reform.
"So grateful to @realDonaldTrump, Jared Kushner & to everyone who has showed compassion & contributed countless hours to this important moment for Ms. Alice Marie Johnson," Kardashian tweeted Wednesday. "Her commutation is inspirational & gives hope to so many others who are also deserving of a second chance."
The White House released a statement about the 63-year-old Johnson, a great-grandmother who has served 22 years in federal prison for what was a first-time criminal offense.
She was convicted in 1996 for "leading a multi-million-dollar drug ring that dealt in tons of cocaine from 1991-1994," according to the Tennessean. She was tried on charges of cocaine conspiracy and money-laundering charges.
"While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance," the statement read. It also said that she has accepted responsibility for her behavior and has been a model prisoner.
Kardashian West had seen a Mic interview about Johnson's case, and "was not only moved to tears, but moved to action."
© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
