Kenneth Clark
Commutation by Barack Obama
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- Possession of cocaine base (crack) with the intent to distribute
- District
- Central District Illinois
- Original Sentence
- 240 months' imprisonment; 10 years' supervised release (Terms: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment.)
- 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
Kenneth Clark was convicted in the Central District of Illinois for possession of cocaine base (crack) with intent to distribute. He received a sentence of 240 months (20 years) imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release. His prison sentence was commuted to 120 months, effectively reducing his incarceration time by half while leaving the conviction and supervised release term intact.
Pardon Context
A commutation reduces or eliminates a sentence but does not erase the underlying conviction or restore civil rights like voting or firearm possession. In this case, the commutation shortened the prison term from 240 months to 120 months, meaning the recipient would be released earlier than originally sentenced but would still complete the 10-year supervised release period and retain the felony conviction on their record. The clemency power is an absolute executive authority under Article II of the Constitution, requiring 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.