Alice Marie Johnson - Revision history

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	On criminal justice reform, Johnson has been an outspoken advocate for ending mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, arguing that such sentences are disproportionate and counterproductive. "I am proof that you can serve time, be rehabilitated, and come out and give back to society," she's stated in numerous public		On criminal justice reform, Johnson has been an outspoken advocate for ending mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, arguing that such sentences are disproportionate and counterproductive. "I am proof that you can serve time, be rehabilitated, and come out and give back to society," she's stated in numerous public

			== References ==
			<references />

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	\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.		\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.
	\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform		\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform
	\|type=~~profile~~		\|type=ProfilePage
	\|site_name=Prisonpedia		\|site_name=Prisonpedia
	\|locale=en_US		\|locale=en_US

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	\|question = How long does the clemency process take?		\|question = How long does the clemency process take?
	\|answer = Processing times vary significantly. Traditional DOJ applications can take years to receive a decision. Cases brought directly to the President through alternative channels like Johnson's recommendations may move more quickly, though there are no guaranteed timelines. Some clemency grants during the current administration have come relatively quickly after cases gained attention.<ref name="lisa-legalinfo" />		\|answer = Processing times vary significantly. Traditional DOJ applications can take years to receive a decision. Cases brought directly to the President through alternative channels like Johnson's recommendations may move more quickly, though there are no guaranteed timelines. Some clemency grants during the current administration have come relatively quickly after cases gained attention.<ref name="lisa-legalinfo" />
			}}

			{{FAQ
			\|question = How do I contact Alice Marie Johnson?
			\|answer = The best approach to reach the pardon czar is through individuals who are regularly in communication with her or her office. Prison consultant [[Sam_Mangel\|Sam Mangel]], who has worked with Johnson on numerous clemency cases, maintains ongoing contact with her office and can help facilitate communication for appropriate cases. Alternatively, working through your criminal defense attorney—particularly one experienced in federal clemency matters—provides another pathway. You can also submit clemency petitions through the official DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney or contact the Taking Action for Good Foundation that Johnson founded. Direct outreach via her social media presence on X (@AliceMarieFree) has occasionally resulted in engagement, though this is not a reliable method for formal clemency requests.
	}}		}}
	}}		}}
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	"@type": "Answer",		"@type": "Answer",
	"text": "The pardon czar position is an advisory role created by President Trump in February 2025. Johnson was the first person appointed to this role. As pardon czar, she reviews clemency cases and makes recommendations to the President, working alongside but separately from the Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney. She does not have authority to grant pardons herself—only the President can do that."		"text": "The pardon czar position is an advisory role created by President Trump in February 2025. Johnson was the first person appointed to this role. As pardon czar, she reviews clemency cases and makes recommendations to the President, working alongside but separately from the Department of Justice's Office of the Pardon Attorney. She does not have authority to grant pardons herself—only the President can do that."
			}
			},
			{
			"@type": "Question",
			"name": "How do I contact Alice Marie Johnson?",
			"acceptedAnswer": {
			"@type": "Answer",
			"text": "The best approach to reach the pardon czar is through individuals who are regularly in communication with her or her office. Prison consultant Sam Mangel, who has worked with Johnson on numerous clemency cases, maintains ongoing contact with her office and can help facilitate communication for appropriate cases. Alternatively, working through your criminal defense attorney provides another pathway. You can also submit clemency petitions through the official DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney or contact the Taking Action for Good Foundation."
	}		}
	}		}
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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Alice Marie Johnson - ~~Drug Clemency~~ \| Prisonpedia		\|title=Alice Marie Johnson - Pardon Czar \| Prisonpedia
	\|title_mode=replace		\|title_mode=replace
	\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.		\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.

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	{{Infobox Person		{{Infobox Person
	\|name = Alice Marie Johnson		\|name = Alice Marie Johnson
			\|image = alice-marie-johnson.png
	\|birth_date = May 30, 1955		\|birth_date = May 30, 1955
	\|birth_place = Olive Branch, Mississippi		\|birth_place = Olive Branch, Mississippi

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	\|birth_place = Olive Branch, Mississippi		\|birth_place = Olive Branch, Mississippi
	\|charges = Drug conspiracy, Money laundering, Structuring		\|charges = Drug conspiracy, Money laundering, Structuring
			\|conviction_date = October 31, 1996
	\|sentence = Life without parole (commuted)		\|sentence = Life without parole (commuted)
	\|facility = ~~[[FCI_Aliceville_(low-security)\|~~FCI Aliceville]]		\|release_date = June 6, 2018
			\|facility = FCI Aliceville
	\|status = Released (Pardoned)		\|status = Released (Pardoned)
	}}'''Alice Marie Johnson''' (born May 30, 1955) is an American criminal justice reform advocate, author, and former federal prisoner who served nearly 22 years in federal prison after being convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a Memphis, Tennessee-based cocaine trafficking organization.<ref name="npr-pardonczar">NPR, "Who is Alice Marie Johnson, Trump's newly appointed 'pardon czar'?," February 25, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5307330/trump-pardon-czar-who-is-alice-marie-johnson.</ref> Originally sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole as a first-time nonviolent drug offender, Johnson's case gained national attention when reality television star Kim Kardashian advocated for her release, ultimately leading President Donald Trump to commute her sentence in June 2018.<ref name="wapo-clemency">The Washington Post, "Trump has commuted the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson," June 6, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-has-commuted-the-life-sentence-of-alice-marie-johnson.</ref> Trump granted Johnson a full presidential pardon in August 2020, and in February 2025, during his second term, appointed her as the administration's first-ever "pardon czar" to identify candidates for executive clemency.<ref name="cbs-pardonczar">CBS News, "Trump names Alice Johnson, pardoned in his first term, to be 'pardon czar'," February 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-alice-johnson-pardon-czar/.</ref>		}}'''Alice Marie Johnson''' (born May 30, 1955) is an American criminal justice reform advocate, author, and former federal prisoner who served nearly 22 years in federal prison after being convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a Memphis, Tennessee-based cocaine trafficking organization.<ref name="npr-pardonczar">NPR, "Who is Alice Marie Johnson, Trump's newly appointed 'pardon czar'?," February 25, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/02/25/nx-s1-5307330/trump-pardon-czar-who-is-alice-marie-johnson.</ref> Originally sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole as a first-time nonviolent drug offender, Johnson's case gained national attention when reality television star Kim Kardashian advocated for her release, ultimately leading President Donald Trump to commute her sentence in June 2018.<ref name="wapo-clemency">The Washington Post, "Trump has commuted the life sentence of Alice Marie Johnson," June 6, 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-has-commuted-the-life-sentence-of-alice-marie-johnson.</ref> Trump granted Johnson a full presidential pardon in August 2020, and in February 2025, during his second term, appointed her as the administration's first-ever "pardon czar" to identify candidates for executive clemency.<ref name="cbs-pardonczar">CBS News, "Trump names Alice Johnson, pardoned in his first term, to be 'pardon czar'," February 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-alice-johnson-pardon-czar/.</ref>
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	Notable cases associated with Johnson's recommendations include:		Notable cases associated with Johnson's recommendations include:

	* '''~~[[Carlos_Watson\|~~Carlos Watson]]''' (March 2025): The Ozy Media founder thanked Johnson for her role in securing a commutation of his sentence hours before he was scheduled to report to prison.<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~amj~~">~~Wikipedia~~, "~~Alice Marie Johnson~~," https://en.~~wikipedia.org~~/~~wiki~~/~~Alice_Marie_Johnson~~.</ref>		* '''Carlos Watson''' (March 2025): The Ozy Media founder thanked Johnson for her role in securing a commutation of his sentence hours before he was scheduled to report to prison.<ref name="variety-watson">Variety, "Carlos Watson Says Trump Has Commuted His Prison Sentence for Ozy Media Fraud," March 28, 2025, https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/carlos-watson-trump-commute-prison-sentence-ozy-media-fraud-1236351619/.</ref>

	* '''~~[[Todd_Chrisley\|~~Todd]] and ~~[[Julie_Chrisley\|~~Julie Chrisley]]''' (May 2025): Johnson was credited by President Trump for making possible the pardons of the reality television stars, who had been convicted of financial fraud and tax evasion in 2022. Johnson defended the pardons by claiming the couple were victims of "a weaponized justice system."<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~amj~~" /><ref name="thegrio-token">TheGrio, "Alice Johnson, Trump's pardon czar, seen by some as Black political 'token' amid controversial pardons," May 29, 2025, https://thegrio.com/2025/05/29/alice-johnson-trump-pardon-czar-black-political-token/.</ref>		* '''Todd and Julie Chrisley''' (May 2025): Johnson was credited by President Trump for making possible the pardons of the reality television stars, who had been convicted of financial fraud and tax evasion in 2022. Johnson defended the pardons by claiming the couple were victims of "a weaponized justice system."<ref name="cnn-chrisley">CNN, "Todd and Julie Chrisley can thank their daughter Savannah Chrisley and advocate Alice Johnson for their pardons," May 28, 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/28/entertainment/todd-julie-chrisley-savannah-chrisley-alice-johnson.</ref><ref name="thegrio-token">TheGrio, "Alice Johnson, Trump's pardon czar, seen by some as Black political 'token' amid controversial pardons," May 29, 2025, https://thegrio.com/2025/05/29/alice-johnson-trump-pardon-czar-black-political-token/.</ref>

	* '''Larry Hoover''' (May 2025): Johnson was involved in the commutation of the federal life sentence of the Chicago Gangster Disciples co-founder. Hoover's son and rapper NBA YoungBoy both credited Johnson for the clemency.<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~amj~~" /><ref name="tmz-hoover">TMZ, "'Pardon Czar' Alice Marie Johnson Hopes Illinois Gov Will Release Larry Hoover," May 29, 2025, https://www.tmz.com/2025/05/29/alice-marie-johnson-larry-hoover-presidential-commutation-illinois-governor-sentence/.</ref> Hoover remains in state prison serving a 200-year sentence for a separate murder conviction.		* '''Larry Hoover''' (May 2025): Johnson was involved in the commutation of the federal life sentence of the Chicago Gangster Disciples co-founder. Hoover's son and rapper NBA YoungBoy both credited Johnson for the clemency.<ref name="thegrio-hoover">TheGrio, "President Trump commutes sentence of Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover," May 28, 2025, https://thegrio.com/2025/05/28/president-trump-commutes-sentence-of-chicago-gang-leader-larry-hoover/.</ref><ref name="tmz-hoover">TMZ, "'Pardon Czar' Alice Marie Johnson Hopes Illinois Gov Will Release Larry Hoover," May 29, 2025, https://www.tmz.com/2025/05/29/alice-marie-johnson-larry-hoover-presidential-commutation-illinois-governor-sentence/.</ref> Hoover remains in state prison serving a 200-year sentence for a separate murder conviction.

	* '''NBA YoungBoy (Kentrell Gaulden)''' (May 2025): The Louisiana-based rapper received a pardon for weapons charges. Johnson told Fox News that her office considered Gaulden's upbringing in an impoverished neighborhood and the circumstances surrounding the firearms charges before recommending the pardon.<ref name="deseret-pardons">Deseret News, "Here's who Trump pardoned this week," May 30, 2025, https://www.deseret.com/politics/2025/05/30/heres-who-trump-pardoned-this-week/.</ref>		* '''NBA YoungBoy (Kentrell Gaulden)''' (May 2025): The Louisiana-based rapper received a pardon for weapons charges. Johnson told Fox News that her office considered Gaulden's upbringing in an impoverished neighborhood and the circumstances surrounding the firearms charges before recommending the pardon.<ref name="deseret-pardons">Deseret News, "Here's who Trump pardoned this week," May 30, 2025, https://www.deseret.com/politics/2025/05/30/heres-who-trump-pardoned-this-week/.</ref>
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	Johnson's role has attracted scrutiny, particularly regarding some of the clemency decisions with which she has been associated. Some political strategists have characterized her position as symbolic, with Ameshia Cross noting that Trump is "using somebody who can speak to the Black community, but it's also as a symbol."<ref name="thegrio-token" /> Critics have pointed to pardons of white-collar criminals and political allies that appear to deviate from Johnson's stated focus on nonviolent offenders who have rehabilitated themselves.<ref name="thegrio-token" />		Johnson's role has attracted scrutiny, particularly regarding some of the clemency decisions with which she has been associated. Some political strategists have characterized her position as symbolic, with Ameshia Cross noting that Trump is "using somebody who can speak to the Black community, but it's also as a symbol."<ref name="thegrio-token" /> Critics have pointed to pardons of white-collar criminals and political allies that appear to deviate from Johnson's stated focus on nonviolent offenders who have rehabilitated themselves.<ref name="thegrio-token" />

	Former DOJ Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer, who was dismissed in March 2025, has been critical of the broader clemency process under the current administration, testifying before the Senate in April 2025 about alleged "ongoing corruption" and claiming that the DOJ leadership "appears to value political loyalty above the fair and responsible administration of justice."<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~clemency-list~~">~~Wikipedia~~, "~~List of people granted executive clemency in~~ the ~~second Trump presidency~~," https://en.~~wikipedia~~.~~org~~/~~wiki~~/~~List_of_people_granted_executive_clemency_in_the_second_Trump_presidency~~.</ref>		Former DOJ Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer, who was dismissed in March 2025, has been critical of the broader clemency process under the current administration, testifying before the Senate in April 2025 about alleged "ongoing corruption" and claiming that the DOJ leadership "appears to value political loyalty above the fair and responsible administration of justice."<ref name="cbs-oyer">CBS News, "How President Trump is changing the pardon process, according to former pardon attorney," 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-trump-is-changing-pardon-process-according-to-former-pardon-attorney-60-minutes/.</ref>

	=== How to Contact Alice Marie Johnson or Submit a Clemency Petition ===		=== How to Contact Alice Marie Johnson or Submit a Clemency Petition ===
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	{{FAQ		{{FAQ
	\|question = How is Johnson's role different from the Office of the Pardon Attorney?		\|question = How is Johnson's role different from the Office of the Pardon Attorney?
	\|answer = The Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) is an official Department of Justice office that has existed since 1894. It processes clemency applications through a formal review process involving FBI background checks and input from prosecutors and victims. Johnson's pardon czar role operates outside this traditional system, allowing the President to receive recommendations through an alternative channel. President Trump has frequently bypassed the OPA process during his administrations.<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~opa~~">~~Wikipedia~~, "~~Office of the Pardon Attorney~~," https://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/~~wiki~~/~~Office_of_the_Pardon_Attorney~~.</ref>		\|answer = The Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) is an official Department of Justice office that has existed since 1894. It processes clemency applications through a formal review process involving FBI background checks and input from prosecutors and victims. Johnson's pardon czar role operates outside this traditional system, allowing the President to receive recommendations through an alternative channel. President Trump has frequently bypassed the OPA process during his administrations.<ref name="propublica-pardons">ProPublica, "How Trump Has Exploited Pardons and Clemency to Reward Allies and Supporters," 2025, https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-pardons-clemency-george-santos-ed-martin.</ref>
	}}		}}

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	{{FAQ		{{FAQ
	\|question = Does Johnson charge fees for clemency assistance?		\|question = Does Johnson charge fees for clemency assistance?
	\|answer = Johnson has not publicly discussed fees associated with her work as Pardon Czar, which is a White House position. The DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney does not charge fees to submit clemency applications. However, the broader clemency landscape has seen the emergence of private attorneys and lobbyists who charge substantial fees to advocate for pardons on behalf of clients.<ref name="~~wiki~~-~~clemency-list~~" />		\|answer = Johnson has not publicly discussed fees associated with her work as Pardon Czar, which is a White House position. The DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney does not charge fees to submit clemency applications. However, the broader clemency landscape has seen the emergence of private attorneys and lobbyists who charge substantial fees to advocate for pardons on behalf of clients.<ref name="propublica-pardons" />
	}}		}}

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	* '''Structuring''': The federal crime of breaking up financial transactions to avoid triggering the $10,000 reporting threshold for currency transactions.		* '''Structuring''': The federal crime of breaking up financial transactions to avoid triggering the $10,000 reporting threshold for currency transactions.

	* '''~~[[First_Step_Act:_Overview_and_Implementation\|~~First Step Act]]''': The 2018 federal criminal justice reform law that modified certain sentencing provisions and expanded early release programs.		* '''First Step Act''': The 2018 federal criminal justice reform law that modified certain sentencing provisions and expanded early release programs.

	== See also ==		== See also ==

	* ~~[[Prison_Consultants\|~~Prison Consultants]]		* Prison Consultants
	* ~~[[First_Step_Act:_Overview_and_Implementation\|~~First Step Act: Overview and Implementation]]		* First Step Act: Overview and Implementation
	* ~~[[Presidential_Clemency_and_Pardons\|~~Presidential Clemency and Pardons]]		* Presidential Clemency and Pardons
	* ~~[[Federal_Good_Time_Credit_Policies\|~~Federal Good Time Credit Policies]]		* Federal Good Time Credit Policies

	== References ==		== References ==
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	"acceptedAnswer": {		"acceptedAnswer": {
	"@type": "Answer",		"@type": "Answer",
	"text": "Alice Marie Johnson served nearly 22 years in federal prison (21 years, 7 months, and 6 days) before President Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018. She was originally sentenced to life without parole in 1997. She served time at ~~[[FMC_Carswell_(medical_facility)\|~~Federal Medical Center Carswell]] in Texas and ~~[[FCI_Aliceville_(low-security)\|~~Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville in Alabama]]."		"text": "Alice Marie Johnson served nearly 22 years in federal prison (21 years, 7 months, and 6 days) before President Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018. She was originally sentenced to life without parole in 1997. She served time at Federal Medical Center Carswell in Texas and Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville in Alabama."
	}		}
	},		},

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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Alice Marie Johnson - Drug Clemency \| Prisonpedia		\|title=Alice Marie Johnson - Drug Clemency \| Prisonpedia
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	\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.		\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.
	\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform		\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform

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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|~~title_mode~~=~~append~~		\|title=Alice Marie Johnson - Drug Clemency \| Prisonpedia
	\|~~title_separator= -~~ Prisonpedia
	\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.		\|description=Discover Alice Marie Johnson's 21-year federal prison journey and historic clemency. Now serving as Trump's pardon czar after Kim Kardashian's advocacy.
	\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform		\|keywords=Alice Marie Johnson, clemency, Kim Kardashian, Trump pardon, drug conviction, prison reform

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	"acceptedAnswer": {		"acceptedAnswer": {
	"@type": "Answer",		"@type": "Answer",
	"text": "Alice Marie Johnson served nearly 22 years in federal prison (21 years, 7 months, and 6 days) before President Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018. She was originally sentenced to life without parole in 1997. She served time at Federal Medical Center Carswell in Texas and [[FCI_Aliceville_(low-security)\|Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville in Alabama]]."		"text": "Alice Marie Johnson served nearly 22 years in federal prison (21 years, 7 months, and 6 days) before President Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018. She was originally sentenced to life without parole in 1997. She served time at [[FMC_Carswell_(medical_facility)\|Federal Medical Center Carswell]] in Texas and [[FCI_Aliceville_(low-security)\|Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville in Alabama]]."
	}		}
	},		},