Alice Johnson had her life sentence commuted by President Trump and is now touting his effort on criminal justice reforms at the Republican National Convention Thursday.
She said she was given a second chance after spending more than 20 years in prison.
“Six months after President Trump granted me a second chance, he signed the First Step Act into law. It was REAL justice reform. And it brought joy, hope, and freedom to thousands of well-deserving people. I hollered Hallelujah! My faith in justice and mercy was rewarded. Imagine getting to hug your loved ones again. It’s a feeling I will never forget. And to think, this first step meant so much to so many. I can’t wait because we’re just getting started,” she said.
The First Step Act, a historic bipartisan criminal justice reform law, passed Congress and was signed into law by Mr. Trump in 2018.
“When President Trump heard about me — about the injustice of my story — he saw me as a person. He had compassion. And he acted. Free in body thanks to President Trump. But free in MIND thanks to the almighty God,” Ms. Johnson said.
She had been convicted in 1996 for taking part in a cocaine-trafficking organization.
