Governor pardons 4 locals, including county director of re-entry
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee granted pardons Friday to four people within the Memphis area.
Two were from Shelby County, one was from Fayette County, and one was from Tipton County. A total of 23 people in Tennessee received clemency.
One of them, DeAndre Brown, is currently the executive director of Shelby County’s Office of Reentry and founded the nonprofit, LifeLine to Success, which helps former inmates re-enter society. County Mayor Lee Harris thanked Gov. Lee on social media for Brown’s pardon.
“Today we celebrate this act of forgiveness and restoration and look forward to Brown’s continued efforts to improve the lives of residents seeking a second chance,” Harris wrote.
Brown said the governor called him with news about 10 a.m. Friday.
“I haven’t stopped crying and smiling all day,” he said. “It’s surreal. I’m numb. It’s impossible to say what this means because I have worked so hard for so many years to prove to people that it is worth it. To actually see that it pays off, it’s humbling.”
Lee stated Friday afternoon that the decisions were made after thoroughly reviewing the merits of each case in consultation with the Tennessee Board of Parole.
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Two types of clemency were granted; a pardon and a commutation to parole eligibility.
A pardon is an official statement of forgiveness; pardons are granted to individuals who have completed their time in prison and are no longer incarcerated.
A commutation to parole eligibility is a decision to expedite parole eligibility for an individual based on the unique merits of their case; the Board of Parole will hold a hearing in the normal course. This does not mean a person will be released from prison, and it does not guarantee that parole will be granted.
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According to Governor Lee, those who applied for clemency but are not on the list will remain eligible for clemency in the future.
The following people have received executive clemency grants:
Amanda Vaughn, Perry County – Executive Action: Pardon
Ann Marie Byrd, Davidson County, and Williamson County – Executive Action: Pardon
Brendan Sullivan, Blount County – Executive Action: Pardon
Cheryl Douglas, Rutherford County – Executive Action: Pardon
Chris Ann Hobson, Fayette County – Executive Action: Pardon
Christopher Park, Davidson County, Sumner County, and Wilson County – Executive Action: Pardon
DeAndre Brown, Shelby County – Executive Action: Pardon
Demetria Garner, Davidson County – Executive Action: Pardon
Donnell Spraggins, Shelby County – Executive Action: Pardon
Catrina Cabe, Hamilton County – Executive Action: Pardon
Eddie Criswell, Madison County – Executive Action: Pardon
Edward Guthrie, Bradley County – Executive Action: Pardon
Jimmy Harris, Overton County, and Putnam County – Executive Action: Pardon
Joseph Claggett, Davidson County – Executive Action: Pardon
Joshua Owens, Bradley County – Executive Action: Pardon
Kamiko Michelle Paris, Hamilton County – Executive Action: Pardon
Kevin Campbell, Hamilton County – Executive Action: Pardon
Melissa Whitehead-Gregory, Tipton County – Executive Action: Pardon
Michelle Lockwood-Tipton, Sevier County – Executive Action: Commutation to parole eligibility after serving 25 years
Rhonda Shelton, Davidson County – Executive Action: Pardon
Robert Scales, Davidson County – Executive Action: Pardon
Tara Woods, Hamilton County – Executive Action: Pardon
Tylor Trotter, Knox County – Executive Action, Pardon
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