The PA Board of Pardons has adopted Act 59 a new policy that impact scheduling of commutation applicants, it states:
Due to applicable provisions of Act 59 of 2021, any clemency applicant that has a victim or the surviving kin of a victim registered with either the Office of Victim Advocate (OVA), the Department of Corrections, or the Board of Pardons ( or if their whereabouts are otherwise known), cannot be scheduled for a public hearing until at least sixty (60) days has elapsed since the date of their merit review hearing.
In addition, any clemency applicant serving a sentence of Life Without Parole (LWOP), or who was previously convicted for a crime of violence or any other offense resulting in death or serious bodily injury (regardless of whether their victim or the surviving kin is registered with any the aforementioned agencies), will not be scheduled for a public hearing until at least sixty (60) days has elapsed since the date of their merit review hearing.
In the past, if everything was on time, an applicant would pass merit and then be scheduled for their public hearing in the same session a month later. Because of this none of the people who passed Merit Review in August will be heard at the September public hearings and will be pushed to December. However, the board added an additional merit review this Wed, September 22nd at 6:15 pm which will judge the merit of 6 people with LWOP sentences. The Merit Review applicants is the very last agenda item for 9/22 and the individuals are not listed.
This page should have the zoom link/conference number to call on the day of the hearings.
Upcoming Dates:
October 2021 Merit Review Session:
Thursday, October 28, 2021 – Merit Review Session – Skype Session 3:00 p.m.
November 2021 Hearing Sessions:
Tuesday, November 30, 2021 – Public Hearing – Zoom Meeting
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – Public Hearing – Zoom Meeting
Thursday, December 2, 2021 – Public Hearing – Zoom Meeting