January 17, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Friday that he was commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, using his final days in office on a flurry of clemency actions meant to nullify prison terms he deemed too harsh.

The recent round of clemency gives Biden the presidential record for most individual pardons and commutations issued. The Democrat said he is seeking to undo “disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice.”

January 14, 2025

ENTERPRISE, Ala (WDHN) — An Enterprise man is trying to make the most of his recent second chance at freedom and life after President Joe Biden granted him clemency.

“It was a breath of fresh air because I’ve been working hard. My outdate was 2031,” said Brian Rowe.

Rowe was convicted on a drug conspiracy charge in 2010 after prosecutors proved that Rowe and other suspects had an agreement to sell and distribute cocaine. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison or 360 months.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 23, 2024

Media Contact:

teamfamm@mrss.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FAMM (formerly Families Against Mandatory Minimums) is honored to announce Dr. Shaneva D. McReynolds as its newest president. McReynolds has been involved with FAMM since 2013, most recently as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Development and as Illinois policy consultant. Before that, she joined FAMM as a volunteer advocate to share her story with state and federal lawmakers.

“I know the shoes our families walk in. I’ve walked that journey alongside them,” said McReynolds. “Our work is deeply personal to me. It’s a rare privilege to be entrusted to lead such an inspiring group of individuals who truly love humanity and are dedicated to doing right by our brothers and sisters. I am humbled and honored to step into the role of president to ensure that our mission uplifts and empowers every life we touch. Our mission gives me a true sense of purpose and allows me to help make meaningful change.”

McReynolds’ life has been deeply impacted by the criminal justice system. She is the wife of a formerly incarcerated person, as well as a survivor of violence. Her first husband was murdered in 2008, and no suspect was ever arrested. McReynolds first began working with FAMM during her fight to free her current husband, with whom she has now been married for 10 years. He was released from prison in 2015, thanks in part to FAMM’s advocacy for fair sentencing and second chance legislation. Since connecting with FAMM, McReynolds has served as an advocate for reform in her home state of Illinois and across the country. She has led events with Common and Chance the Rapper, and spoken with members of Congress in Washington, D.C., about justice reform legislation.

“The FAMM Board of Directors unanimously and enthusiastically supports Shaneva D. McReynolds’ new position as the president of FAMM,” said FAMM founder and Board of Directors Chair Julie Stewart. “Shaneva’s personal experience with the criminal justice system enables her to speak with passion and conviction about what needs to be fixed, giving her a unique credibility among FAMM members, staff and supporters. Shaneva’s personal story, combined with her 20 years of professional management experience, provides a solid foundation for making the critical decisions expected of the president. The Board could not be happier that this intelligent and passionate woman has agreed to lead FAMM forward as we face new challenges and opportunities. Welcome aboard, Shaneva!”

Before joining FAMM, McReynolds had a distinguished 20-year career working for government contractors in the Department of Defense industry, most recently serving as a vice president of contracts management.

About FAMM

Since FAMM’s founding in 1991, it has helped more than 500,000 Americans receive shorter, fairer prison sentences. FAMM and its advocates have also helped reduce the nation’s prison population by approximately 200,000 people and reduce racial disparities in sentencing, bringing the nation’s Black prison population to its lowest level since 1989.

FAMM’s mission is to create a more fair and effective justice system that respects our American values of individual accountability and dignity while keeping our communities safe. This mission not only reduces unnecessary suffering for incarcerated people, but also for their family members who have to serve the sentence along with their incarcerated loved one.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: teamfamm@mrss.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – FAMM (formerly Families Against Mandatory Minimums) is honored to announce that Molly Crane has joined the nonprofit’s legal team as a 2024 Equal Justice Works Fellow as of Wednesday, September 4, 2024. 

Building on FAMM’s work to expand federal compassionate release, Crane’s two-year fellowship will focus on developing the nation’s first state-level compassionate release clearinghouse. Operating in select states, the clearinghouse will pair people with critical illnesses in state prisons with a network of lawyers and doctors to advocate for compassionate release. 

“I am committed to this work because I’ve seen first-hand the dire circumstances people with critical illnesses face in prison, and the healing impact of compassionate release on individuals and communities,” said Crane. “I hope this fellowship with FAMM can start to transform state compassionate release from broken and underutilized into a functioning path to decarceration.”

“FAMM is excited to have Molly Crane join us to help expand our compassionate release program,” said FAMM General Counsel Mary Price. “Clearinghouse efforts must expand beyond federal prisons to state prison systems as well, where we hear every day about cases that need illumination and justice. FAMM’s collaboration with Equal Justice Works is a momentous next step to advance a more fair justice system.”

The rise of mandatory minimum sentencing and mass incarceration has transformed many state prisons into “prison nursing homes” for elderly and critically ill individuals behind bars. Though compassionate release laws exist in almost every state, these laws are rarely used, and petitions are almost never granted. 

Crane graduated from Harvard Law School in 2023 and says her inspiration for this work is rooted in the human beings she has worked alongside: people in prison with health needs and at the intersection of racial, gender, and disability justice. Crane’s fellowship is sponsored by the Albert & Anne Mansfield Foundation through Equal Justice Works, a national nonprofit that creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service.

Since FAMM’s founding in 1991, it has helped more than 500,000 Americans receive shorter, fairer prison sentences. FAMM and its advocates have also helped reduce the nation’s prison population by approximately 200,000 people and reduce racial disparities in sentencing, bringing the nation’s Black prison population to its lowest level since 1989.