COLUMBIA, S.C. — President Joe Biden has granted clemency to a Columbia man, part of an action the White House said was to help advance equal justice to deserving individuals.
The White House Clemency List came out Wednesday, April 24, and 54-year-old Ricky Tyler was one of 11 people pardoned while five others had their sentence commuted, all for non-violent drug offenses.
Under the U.S. Constitution, presidents are allowed to give pardons. Clemency is when a governor, president or administrative board can reduce a person’s prison sentence or grant a pardon.
“I'm excited, I made history. Mr. Biden pardoned me,” Tyler said.
Born and raised in Columbia, Tyler went to prison in 1996 when he was 26 years old. He spent 11 years behind bars after he was convicted of conspiracy to sell cocaine. He was released in 2007 and set out to turn his life around.
“People say I'm crazy when I say thank God for prison because of the knowledge that I gained from the classes that I took during my incarceration; it made me grow up real fast," Tyler said. “I don’t think I would’ve taken those types of classes if I would’ve remained free. I took a bunch of business classes - a bunch of math classes. Just different things that I've taken to build more character and be more knowledgeable about life."
Tyler now owns his own business, Tyler Trucking, in Columbia.
Steve Krzyston is Tyler’s attorney and has experience helping clients submit clemency applications.
“The President just doesn’t give pardons out willy-nilly," Krzyston said. "It shows and demonstrates to people that he’s really turned his life around and done amazing things that, unfortunately, most people aren’t able to do post-conviction."
In a statement released by the White House, President Biden said, “The pardon recipients have demonstrated their commitment to improving their lives and positively transforming their communities.” Biden said that many of the people he pardoned would receive a much shorter sentence under current laws.
“Around church, I talk to different parents about their kids, and I just try tell them the consequences about gangs and drug dealing and being around the wrong crowd. That it’s easy to get caught up,” Tyler said. “I'm just glad that I'm not locked up, and I can just be free, just enjoy, just know that I don’t have that x on my back anymore.”