Alice Marie Johnson has been appointed "pardon czar" by President Trump, a role in which she will recommend individuals for presidential commutations.
During a Black History Month event at the White House last Thursday, Trump praised Johnson, who had her sentence commuted and was later pardoned during his first term, as "an inspiration to people."
Trump commuted her sentence on June 6, 2018, and on Aug. 28, 2020 granted her a full pardon.
Before her commutation, Johnson, now 69 years old, had spent more than 20 years in federal prison for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense.
Here is what to know about Johnson and her plans as pardon czar.
A "voice" for others still incarcerated
Born in Olive Branch, Miss., Johnson was a single mother of five children working at a Kellogg's factory while struggling to make ends meet. In an effort to supplement her income, she turned to the drug trade. The move, she described to MicMedia, was "one of the worst decisions of my life to make quick money." It's unclear when she became involved with drugs, but a local newspaper reported that the drug ring operated from 1991 to 1994.
In 1993, she was arrested; by 1996, she was convicted of multiple offenses, including money laundering, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, attempted possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and deliver structuring a monetary transaction, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the ACLU. The following year, she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 25 years.
Johnson maintains that she never sold drugs or engaged in drug deals; instead, she allowed those involved with drugs to use her phone, relayed messages for them, and held money for one of the individuals involved.
During her time in prison, Johnson said she relied on her faith in God, volunteered as a hospice worker, mentored other incarcerated women and even wrote theatre plays.
Since her release, Johnson has been a staunch advocate for criminal justice reform, demanding an end to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. She founded the Taking Action for Good Foundation to assist others in obtaining clemency. She also published a memoir titled, After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom, in 2019.
"Now that I have a voice, I'm going to use it to fight for those who are still incarcerated, who don't have a voice like I have right now," she told the ACLU after her release. "Sentencing reform makes sense, and for the sake of humanity, it's time for some commonsense politics about sentencing. It's about people's lives."
A celebrity was instrumental in her commutation
Reality TV star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian was instrumental in advocating for Johnson's commutation. Inspired by Johnson's story featured in a 2017 video by MicMedia, Kardashian called her sentence "so unfair" in a social media post and advocated for her release.
A few months later, Kardashian met with Trump to discuss Johnson's case, and a week after their meeting, Johnson's sentence was commuted.
When Johnson and Kardashian met for the first time just a week after the commutation, Johnson said during a Today Show interview that it was Kardashian who called her with the news.
"I love this woman," Kardashian said when they met face-to-face for the first time.
Johnson told the ACLU that Kardashian's involvement was "one of the biggest blessings of my life" and felt they both "had a heart connection."
Continuing clemency work as pardon czar
In her new role, Johnson said Monday she intends to "fulfill the trust" that Trump has placed in her.
"He has given me specific marching orders," Johnson said during an interview on FOX News. "From the time I've been working on this nonstop since my release this is really a continuation of the work that I've already been doing. I've brought many pardon cases before the President in the past."
Johnson emphasized that ensuring "safety in the communities" is a top priority when making pardon recommendations. She aims to guarantee that those who receive commuted sentences have not just a second chance but also "their best chance of success."
"I don't want to help people come home and then at the same time they're set up for failure," Johnson said, adding that there would be follow up and check-ins to support those transitioning from prison.
The check-ins will not be conducted in collaboration with probation to "catch them doing something wrong but to make sure that they have things that will help them make right decisions," such as mental health support.
Johnson also said she would work with Pastor Paula White-Cain, whom Trump appointed to lead the White House Faith Office, as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi to help with the recommendations.
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe contributed to this report.
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