Noah Kleinman
Commutation by Donald J. Trump
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana (two counts); distribution of marijuana (two counts); maintaining a drug-involved premises; conspiracy to launder money
- District
- Central District of California
- Original Sentence
- 211 months' imprisonment, five years' supervised release (December 8, 2014)
- 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
Noah Kleinman was convicted in the Central District of California on multiple drug-related charges, including two counts each of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and conspiracy to launder money. He was sentenced to 211 months (approximately 17.5 years) in prison and five years of supervised release in December 2014.
Pardon Context
A commutation reduces or eliminates the remainder of a prison sentence but does not erase the underlying conviction or restore civil rights like voting or gun ownership. The recipient remains a convicted felon with the conviction on their record, though their period of incarceration is shortened or ended. 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.