Clemency Board

Total public members

5

Method of Appointment

Appointed by Mayor, confirmed by Council

Length of Appointment

4 years

Residency

DC residency required

Paid board

No (all roles are voluntary)

Description

There is established a Clemency Board within the Executive Office of the Mayor to review the applications of individuals convicted of violating District laws or regulations and determine which applicants to recommend to the President of the United States for clemency. The EOM's General Counsel shall provide staff, office space, and administrative support to the Board.

The Board shall

Develop criteria and an application for clemency recommendations and publicize the application procedure;

Review each application and determine, within 6 months after a complete application is received, whether to recommend the application to the President of the United States;

Consider both cases of actual innocence and cases of those who are remorseful and can show that they have been rehabilitated;

Give special consideration to applicants who are terminally ill or elderly, or who no longer present a danger to the community;

Develop criteria for the consideration of an applicant's background, which may include procedures by which the Board obtains information from outside organizations with which the applicant has interacted;

Whenever feasible, conduct in-person, telephone, or video conference hearings with applicants;

Allow applicants to have access to an attorney or non-attorney representative at any hearing before the Board;

When the Board decides to recommend an application to the President of the United States

Send the application, along with a narrative describing why the Board recommended the application, to the Office of the Pardon Attorney and to the President of the United States; and

Provide notification, to include the applicant's name, to the Chairman of the Council and the chairperson of the Council committee with jurisdiction over judiciary matters; and

Track and publish the number of applications the Board grants and denies, including the number of applications recommended to the President of the United States, in an annual report to the Council and on the EOM's website; provided, that the annual report shall exclude personally identifiable information.

Membership

The Board consists of the following members

Five (5) District residents appointed by the Mayor with the following qualifications

• Member who is a returning citizen
• Mental health professional
• Member with background in victims rights or services
• Member of the District of Columbia Bar in good standing, with experience in criminal law
• District of Columbia resident community member
• The Attorney General for the District of Columbia, or the Attorney General's designee
• The chairperson of the Council committee with jurisdiction over judiciary and public safety matters, or the chairperson's designee

Additionally, the Mayor shall invite the following to participate as members of the Board

• Director of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, or the Director's designee
• The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, or the United States Attorney's designee

Time Commitment

• The Board meets monthly.
• To be considered for one of the five seats appointed by the Mayor, please complete the attached application.