Bush commutes the sentences of Ramos and Compean

With less then one day left to do so, President Bush commuted the sentences of the two border guards convicted of shooting a drug dealer from Mexico in the buttocks. The two have spent nearly 4 years in jail and have been the subject of many pleas (including this blog), to release them.

Bush said he picked a commutation rather then a pardon, because he believes they received a fair trial and were found guilty justly. He felt that they have served enough time, lost their jobs and their families, have suffered enough.

The former border guards in El Paso, Texas, are expected to be released from prison within the next two months. The total with the new acts of clemency, Bush has granted a total of 189 pardons and 11 commutations, less then half what Clinton and Reagan granted.

Clinton issued a total of 457 in eight years in office. Bush's father, George H. W. Bush, issued 77 in four years. Reagan issued 406 in eight years, and President Carter issued 563 in four years. Since World War II, the largest number of pardons and commutations — 2,031 — came from President Truman, who served 82 days short of eight years.