San Quentin Inmate Podcast Host Among New Clemencies Granted By Gov. Newsom

SACRAMENTO (AP) – California’s politician connected Thursday commuted the condemnation of an inmate who has drawn nationalist attraction arsenic co-host of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated podcast Ear Hustle, which is produced wrong San Quentin State Prison.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s determination volition let Rahsaan “New York” Thomas, 51, to instantly spell earlier the authorities parole board, which volition determine if helium should beryllium released connected parole. The committee already recommended the clemency grant.

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Thomas was serving a 55 1/2 years-to-life condemnation for a 2000 second-degree execution condemnation and related charges aft helium fatally changeable 1 unfortunate and injured different during a cause deal. A Los Angeles County assemblage rejected his self-defense claim, that helium fatally changeable a antheral who was trying to rob him.

“While successful prison, Mr. Thomas has dedicated himself to his rehabilitation,” Newsom wrote.

Aside from being since 2019 a co-producer and co-host of the Ear Hustle – named aft situation slang for eavesdropping – Thomas is simply a regular contributor to the San Quentin News, on with publications extracurricular situation walls. He is president of the Society of Professional Journalists San Quentin outer section and works with respective transgression justness betterment groups.

Former politician Jerry Brown antecedently commuted the condemnation of podcast co-creator Earlonne Woods successful 2018, starring to his release. Woods continues to enactment connected the extracurricular arsenic a full-time shaper for the podcast.

Ear Hustle, which began successful 2017, bills itself arsenic “the archetypal podcast created and produced successful prison, featuring stories of the regular realities of beingness wrong California’s San Quentin State Prison, shared by those surviving it.”

Thomas was among 18 commutations, 24 pardons and 5 reprieves announced by Newsom.

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Four of the 5 reprieves are for inmates deemed to beryllium astatine precocious aesculapian risk; the past was for an inmate antecedently recovered suitable for parole.

Eight of the pardons were for California residents who look the anticipation of being deported due to the fact that of their convictions. Newsom’s bureau called that “an unjust collateral effect that would harm their families and communities.”

One of the pardons is for a erstwhile authorities nonmigratory who already was deported to Mexico based connected his conviction.

Among others receiving pardons are Julian Galaz, a U. S. Army serviceman who completed 3 combat tours, and Robert Trussell, a unpaid successful the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for much than 20 years.

Galaz was convicted of expansive theft successful San Diego County successful 2000, erstwhile helium was 18. Trussell was convicted of possessing drugs for merchantability successful Shasta County successful 1979, erstwhile helium was 21.

Since taking bureau successful 2019, Newsom has present granted 112 pardons, 109 commutations and 34 reprieves.

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