A 48-year-old Connecticut drug kingpin, Adrian Peeler, has been granted clemency by former President Joe Biden as part of his commutation of nearly 2,500 federal inmates described as “non-violent.” Peeler was convicted of killing a mother and her 8-year-old son in 1999, allegedly to prevent them from testifying against his brother, who was accused of shooting the boy’s father.
Peeler was serving a 25-year sentence in state prison for conspiracy to commit murder, and was later transferred to federal custody to serve more time for cocaine trafficking. He had previously had 20 years knocked off his sentence due to good behavior and the age at which he committed the crimes.
The commutation was met with shock and outrage from the victim’s family, who felt that Peeler did not deserve to be released. “I’m sick and tired, and I’m disgusted,” said Oswald Clarke, the victim’s brother. “It’s a very shocking thing. My family is very distraught about it. It’s like we’re being traumatized all over again.”
Biden’s decision to commute Peeler’s sentence was part of a broader effort to commute the sentences of thousands of federal inmates serving time for non-violent drug offenses. However, some critics have questioned the criteria used to determine who is eligible for clemency, pointing out that some violent offenders have also been included on the list.
In addition to Peeler, two Virginia men serving life sentences for their roles in the murder of a police officer in 1998 were also granted clemency. The move was met with outrage from the officer’s family, who felt that the men did not deserve to be released.
Biden’s clemency decisions have been the subject of controversy in recent days, with some critics arguing that he has shown a lack of accountability in his granting of pardons and commutations.