Additionally, the governor pardoned 39 persons who committed misdemeanors and non-violent crimes when they were 16 or 17 years old. They have been crime free for 10 years or more.
Gov. Cuomo also commuted the sentences of two individuals because they demonstrated substantial evidence of rehabilitation. They also showed commitment to reducing community violence. The governor also granted pardoned two people who were convicted of non-immigration related crimes.
Gov. Cuomo is reshaping the criminal justice system
Nick Turner, the president of Vera Institute of Justice, praised Gov. Cuomo for displaying a strong leadership. According to him, the governor is helping reshape a criminal justice system that prioritizes that safe and dignity of all New Yorkers.
On the other hand, Anthony Thompson, faculty director of the Center on Race, Inequality and the Law at New York University School of Law, said, “The governor is doing what he can to balance public safety and justice for immigrant New Yorkers.”
