Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he will be pardoning 43 individuals who have completed their sentences, emphasizing that his approach is different from President Joe Biden’s recent wave of commutations. Lee clarified that he did not shorten any sentences through commutations, and all the individuals he pardoned had recommendations from the state Board of Parole. This marks a significant increase in clemency actions compared to previous years, with Lee only issuing seven commutations since taking office in 2019. In contrast, Biden recently commuted the sentences of around 1,500 individuals and pardoned 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes, which stirred some community backlash.
In Tennessee, a pardon signifies forgiveness for someone who has served their sentence and is no longer incarcerated, while a commutation shortens a sentence but does not overturn the conviction. Lee has only granted one exoneration during his time in office, where the governor declares that the applicant did not commit the crime they were convicted of. Other governors across the country are also issuing acts of clemency during the holiday season. The issue of clemency has been a topic of scrutiny, with President-elect Donald Trump facing criticism for his clemency actions during his term, including assisting well-connected individuals and promising pardons for those involved in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
The individuals pardoned by Governor Lee had not been serving an active criminal sentence for at least five years, including probation or parole. Lee highlighted specific cases, such as Lanesha Faye Brown, who was convicted of attempted second-degree murder at 13 years old but has since built a successful life, earning an associate’s degree and working at a Nashville hotel. The governor emphasized that the individuals who were pardoned had shown exemplary citizenship and a compelling reason for seeking clemency. Lee’s actions come in the context of tough-on-crime messaging from Republicans nationally, which has been reflected in Tennessee’s Legislature, despite Lee running on a platform that included criminal justice reform priorities.
In previous years, Lee has approved a mix of pardons, commutations, and exoneration. In 2021, he granted 13 pardons, three commutations, and one exoneration. His predecessor, former Governor Bill Haslam, granted a total of nine commutations, 35 pardons, and one exoneration during his eight years in office. The issue of clemency has been a focus in recent years, with different governors taking varying approaches to pardon, commute, or exonerate individuals who have completed their sentences. Lee’s decision to issue a significant number of pardons this year, without any commutations, signals his distinct approach from other governors and past clemency actions at the state and national levels.
