Six Clients of the Clemency Project Clinic Receive Commutations from President Joe Biden

As reported in the Star Tribune, six clients of Minnesota Law’s Clemency Project Clinic, led by Professor JaneAnne Murray, received commutations from President Joe Biden on December 12, 2024 — part of a record one-day grant of almost 1,500 commutations.  The Clinic’s clients, like the other recipients, had all been released to serve their federal prison sentences on home confinement under the CARES Act due to their vulnerabilities to COVID-19 infection.  Since their release, they have rebuilt their lives, reconnected with family, found jobs and fully complied with the often stringent terms of their house arrest.  This grant frees them from the fear of being precipitously returned to prison for even a technical or accidental violation of their release conditions.  Among the six clinic clients pardoned was Kelli Caron, previously profiled in the Star Tribune. Because she had received clemency from Governor Walz through the Clemency Project Clinic, Caron was also seeking clemency from President Biden for her concurrent federal case. Ingrid Hofeldt ’22 drafted Caron’s petition.  The other clients included Kristina Erickson, who was represented by Maggie Kovach ’24; Patricia Torres, who was represented by Alayna O’Bryan ’23; Shelle Brooks, who was represented by Caroline Radmacher ’21; Lavell Williams, who was represented by Harpreet Mahal ’21; and Brent Maurstad. “These individuals have been thriving in their communities and it would be cruel to return them to prison,” Murray told the Star Tribune. “We hope, however, that the President will now turn his attention to the tens of thousands still in prison serving unjust and outdated sentences.”