Gov. Bill Lee grants clemency to 16 people, parole eligibility to 30 under new drug law

Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday granted expedited parole eligibility for 30 people currently jailed under an outdated drug sentencing law, in addition to granting clemency to another 16 current or formerly incarcerated people.

The move marks the second year Lee has issued a round of clemency grants in December. Lee in 2020 loosened criteria to qualify for a governor’s review and granted clemency to 17 people in 2021.

"Clemency is very serious. It's a powerful tool," Lee said. "It's not something I take lightly. This announcement and these decisions are the result of a very deliberate and comprehensive review process that requires time and careful deliberations. Every case is individual and a number of factors are considered."

Lee said all grants were recommended by the Tennessee Board of Parole, and none were opposed by victims in the cases.

Among the grants were 13 executive pardons and official statements of forgiveness to formerly incarcerated people who have served their sentences and have already been released.

The 30 grants for those convicted of drug crimes are the first issued under a new review process established by the state last year.

More:Tennesseans stuck behind bars in 'waiting game' as drug free school zone laws change slowly

In 2020, the Tennessee General Assembly reworked the Drug Free School Zone law, which previously carried strict mandatory minimums that were enhanced significantly when the crime occurred within a "school zone." The zone was defined by a 1,000-foot radius previously, which ultimately netted defendants accused of crimes that did not actually endanger or involve children. Lawmakers reduced the radius to 500 feet.

More than 300 people are currently incarcerated under the old version of the law and would be eligible for a parole hearing were they convicted under the new law. More than 80 applied for case review this year.

Lee on Thursday said those granted parole eligibility all had a clean prison record for the past three years, all were classified as the lowest security level and no original crimes involved minors or "other vulnerable populations."

All the applications for review were considered this year, Lee said, though those not granted today could be eligible for reconsideration in the future.

Two Davidson County women now eligible for parole

Lee will commute the parole of 78-year-old William Mee of Meigs County. Erin Merrick, Lee's general counsel, said Thursday Mee has been free on parole for nearly three decades with a clean record.

Two women currently incarcerated in Davidson County received a clemency grant to make them parole eligible. The grant does not guarantee their release but will speed up their consideration of parole.

Tabatha White was convicted of first degree murder in a 2000 shooting, even though another man shot and killed the victim. White for years fought the conviction, arguing her lawyer mounted a shoddy defense and state courts made an error in convicting her.

A federal court even agreed with White in 2009, ruling state prosecutors failed to establish proof of White's intent to commit first degree murder, but a federal appellate ultimately overturned the ruling in a split decision. White recently earned her bachelor's degree while in prison and has suffered two strokes, Merrick said Thursday.

The Board of Parole unanimously recommended White for clemency this year. One board member concluded that the "justice system erred" in White's case, Merrick said.

Alicia Williams had no priors on her record when she was convicted at age 22, Merrick said, and has served most of her sentence while completing dozens of trainings and self-improvement classes in prison.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lee gives clemency to 16, grants parole eligibility for 30 more