Obama Commutes Eight ‘Unduly Harsh’ Crack Cocaine Sentences

President Obama today commuted the sentences of eight men and women convicted of crack cocaine offenses, each of whom has served more than 15 years in prison.

“Commuting the sentences of these eight Americans is an important step toward restoring fundamental ideals of justice and fairness,” the president said in a written statement.

The Obama administration has long pushed to change what it considers to be unduly harsh sentences issued under an outdated sentencing regime. In 2010, the president signed the bipartisan Fair Sentencing Act, which narrowed the disparity between penalties for crack and powder cocaine offenses.

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