CLEMENCY GRANTED

Donnel Clark was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his participation as a first-time offender in a nonviolent crack cocaine conspiracy. Although his prosecutor denounced the sentence as unduly harsh, federal mandatory minimum sentencing gave the judge no flexibility to shorten it.

After twenty years, President Obama granted clemency to Donnel in March, 2015.

Read about Donnel:

• Slow steps to freedom: A nonviolent drug offender who was granted clemency after 22 years adjusts to life on the outside