Enforcement
Trump Commutes Sentences of Two Federal Marijuana Prisoners as DEA Weighs Rescheduling
Jerry Haymon IV and Kevin Harden received clemency for nonviolent cannabis offenses, while the administration continues its push to move marijuana to Schedule III.
President Donald Trump has commuted the sentences of Jerry Haymon IV and Kevin Harden, two men serving federal time for marijuana distribution convictions. The grants come as the DEA holds hearings on rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III.
President Donald Trump on Thursday commuted the sentences of Jerry Haymon IV and Kevin Harden, two people serving federal time for marijuana distribution convictions, according to Marijuana Moment. The clemency grants effectively end their sentences and put them on a path to release.
Haymon had received a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for his role in a marijuana distribution conspiracy and was in home confinement with about a year remaining. He said the commutation felt like being "reborn again," adding, "I got my life back."
Harden was serving a 30-year sentence after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. His co-defendant, James Romans, received clemency from Trump in 2021. Harden has faced severe medical issues while incarcerated, including multiple open-heart surgeries, a seizure disorder, and blood-clotting.
The clemency applications were accompanied by a letter from boxer Mike Tyson, who urged Trump to free nonviolent marijuana offenders. "Granting clemency to non-violent marijuana offenders would reunite families, restore lost opportunity, and write the final chapter of the federal war on marijuana," Tyson wrote.
The commutations come as the administration moves forward with rescheduling cannabis. Attorney General Todd Blanche in April issued an order reclassifying state-licensed medical cannabis and FDA-approved marijuana products from Schedule I to Schedule III. A separate DEA hearing is considering a broader move of marijuana to Schedule III.
Weldon Angelos, founder of The Weldon Project, called the grants "about mercy, redemption, second chances and recognizing the humanity in people who have already paid an enormous price for their mistakes." Haymon thanked Trump, pardon czar Alice Johnson, and the Mission Green and Weldon Project teams for their advocacy.