August 04, 2016
City News Service
President Barack Obama on Wednesday commuted the federal prison sentences of 214 inmates, including five Southland residents, saying they were sentenced under outdated guidelines.
“The power to grant pardons and commutations ... embodies the basic belief in our democracy that people deserve a second chance after having made a mistake in their lives that led to a conviction under our laws,” Obama said.
Five Southland residents were among those who had their sentences commuted:
— Charles Bynum of Torrance, who was sentenced in 2003 to life in prison in Florida for conspiracy to possess and distribute material containing methamphetamine. His sentence will now end Aug. 3, 2018, conditioned on his enrollment in a residential drug treatment program.
— Darnell Crookshank of West Covina, who was sentenced in 1996 to life in prison for drug conspiracy and manufacturing. His sentence will now end Dec. 1.
— Keldren Joshua of Los Angeles, who is serving 168 months for conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance. His sentence will now end Dec. 1.
— Gregory Allen Liningham of Los Angeles, who was sentenced in 1993 in Texas to life in prison for possession of crack. His sentence will now end Dec. 1.
— Derwlyn Rosborough of Lake View Terrace, who was sentenced in Wyoming in 2002 to 240 months for possession of cocaine. his sentence will now end Dec. 1.
Obama has granted commutations to 562 inmates during his administration, more than the last nine presidents combined. Of those, 197 were serving life prison sentences. According to the White House, most of the inmates are non- violent drug offenders “incarcerated under outdated and unduly harsh sentencing laws.”