Day after Alice Johnson's RNC speech, Trump grants her full pardon

Alice Johnson gives speech at RNC on criminal justice reform

Alice Johnson, a Memphis woman who spent 20 years in prison, spoke at the Republican National Convention Thursday night about criminal justice reform.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump pardoned a woman on Friday who had praised him the night before at the Republican National Convention.

Trump pardoned Alice Marie Johnson, who had spent more than two decades serving life without parole for a nonviolent drug offense. She had been convicted in 1996 on eight criminal counts related to a Memphis-based cocaine trafficking operation. Trump had commuted her life sentence in federal prison in 2018, which allowed her early release.

Unlike a pardon, the commutation did not erase Johnson’s conviction — it only ended her sentence.

Trump said Johnson had done an “incredible job” since her release, identifying additional prisoners who could be eligible for early release.

“We’re giving Alice a full pardon," Trump said.

Johnson had spoken at the convention about the power of redemption and praised Trump. Trump has sought to highlight criminal justice reform leading up to November's election as he reaches out to African American voters.

She said Thursday that she was free “by the grace of God and the compassion of President Donald John Trump.”