Barack Obama just became the first president to grant the largest number of reduced prison sentences in a single month with the 111 commutations announced Tuesday. Last year President Obama commuted the prison sentences of 95 people in December (mostly non-violent drug offenders) and 46 non-violent drug offenders in July 2015.
In a post about the 111 commutations, the White House wrote that POTUS has commuted the sentences of 673 people so far in his presidency. Of the people who've had their sentences commuted, 232 were serving life sentences. On Aug. 3, President Obama reduced the sentences of 214 people. Including those, as well as today's 111, that's 325 commutations this month—the largest number in a single month. The White House also said President Obama has commuted more sentences than the past 10 presidents combined.
As CNNnoted, one of the people whose sentence was commuted Tuesday was Darryl Lamar Reed, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 1990 for intent to distribute crack. Rudy Martinez, who also had his sentence commuted, was sentenced to life in prison in 1992 for drug distribution and related offenses. Both will be released December 28.
While sharing a letter he received from a man whose sentence was shortened, Obama said in a Facebook post, "The more we understand the human stories behind this problem, the sooner we can start making real changes that keep our streets safe, break the cycle of incarceration in this country, and save taxpayers like you money."
Obama also made history last year by becoming the first sitting president to visit a federal prison, where he met with prisoners.
The White House released the full list of Tuesday's commutations here.
