Khan Mohammed
Commutation by Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- Distribution of one kilogram or more of heroin knowing that the substance would be unlawfully imported into the United States; manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and opium, knowing and intending to provide anything of pecuniary value to any person and organization that has engaged in terrorist activity and terrorism
- District
- District of Columbia
- Original Sentence
- Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (December 22, 2008) (as amended on October 12, 2022)
- Clemency Type
- Commutation — reduces sentence but conviction stands
Case Overview & Context
Plain-English summary of the case and the legal context for this type of clemency
Case Overview
Khan Mohammed was convicted in the District of Columbia of distributing one kilogram or more of heroin with knowledge it would be unlawfully imported into the United States, and of manufacturing, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute heroin and opium while knowing and intending to provide pecuniary value to persons or organizations engaged in terrorist activity. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and five years of supervised release in December 2008, with the sentence amended in October 2022.
Pardon Context
A commutation reduces or eliminates a sentence but does not erase the underlying conviction or restore civil rights that may have been lost due to the conviction. In this case, the commutation affects the prison term, but the conviction remains on the recipient's record and the supervised release obligation continues to apply. The presidential clemency power under Article II of the Constitution is absolute and requires no judicial review or approval. The president's personal reasoning for this specific grant is not publicly documented.
AI-generated summary based on public clemency records. The president's specific personal reasoning for this grant is not publicly documented.
Constitutional authority: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the President “Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States.” This power is absolute for federal crimes — Congress cannot override it, and no judicial review is required. The president is not required to publish reasons for individual grants.