On Monday, the Governor announced 33 pardons and 3 commutations. This is the first time Governor Murphy has used his pardon power, though his administration did grant early release to thousands of inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic to slow spread of the virus in prisons.
The 33 pardons were applied to individuals who have already served the entirety of their sentence and have had a clean record for more than 10 years. The commutations apply to three women who are currently serving sentences for murdering their boyfriends. They will be released from prison and will begin parole periods. The ACLU has praised the Governor’s decision, noting the three women have had "a long, documented history of trauma, sex abuse and domestic violence."
This comes after Governor Murphy announced a new clemency initiative through Executive Order No. 362 in June. The Executive Order established a Clemency Advisory Board to provide recommendations on individual applications for pardons and commutations.
Governor Murphy has indicated that this is not the only time he will exercise this power before his second term is up, saying "we will have more days like this over the next 13 months. I promise you.”