Gov. Evers grants pardons to 17 individuals: 'I believe in second chances'

MADISON— Gov. Tony Evers announced he granted pardons to 17 individuals on Feb. 19. The pardons follow the consideration of recommendations made by the Governor's Pardon Advisory Board after their hearings on Dec. 4, 2019 and Feb. 5, 2020.

“I believe in second chances. Each of these individuals has earned a pardon by paying their debt to society, making amends, and contributing to their communities,” said Gov. Evers. “Many of the individuals I pardoned were seeking pardons to advance their careers or better serve their communities, and I wish them the best in these endeavors.”

Gov. Evers announced that pardons have been granted to the following individuals:

The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores some of the rights that are lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not result in an expungement.

Except for the prior administration, every Wisconsin governor in modern history has granted pardons. Most recently, Gov. Thompson granted 238 pardons, Gov. McCallum granted 24 pardons, and Gov. Doyle granted more than 300 pardons. In these first months of the recreated Pardon Advisory Board, Gov. Evers has granted 29 pardons.

Under Executive Order #30, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have not committed any new crimes. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon.

A copy of the pardon application and instructions for applying are located on the Governor’s website here.