Commutation by Barack Obama
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
Plain-English summary of the case and the legal context for this type of clemency
Damion Rurshe Bates was convicted in the Western District of Michigan for distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base. He was sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. His prison sentence was commuted to expire on January 19, 2019, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.
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 subject to the terms of supervised release and any conditions imposed, such as required participation in drug treatment programs. The clemency power is an absolute constitutional authority under Article II, exercisable without judicial review or external 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.