Inmates ask Trump to pardon people alongside turkeys

Prison inmates and other clemency advocates are encouraging President Trump to pardon human beings alongside turkeys to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Trump will “pardon” a pair of birds Tuesday at the White House as part of an annual meat-industry event that people behind bars say is upsetting to watch.

“It is one of the greatest insults to watch the president pardon two turkeys every Thanksgiving while I and so many other people suffer for non-violent drug conspiracy cases,” said Michael Pelletier, a paralyzed Maine native with a pending clemency request.

Pelletier is serving life without parole for importing Canadian marijuana. His statement was provided by Amy Povah, a clemency recipient who founded Can-Do Clemency to advocate for other federal drug offenders.

“For everyone we communicate with, it’s like pouring salt in a wound,” Povah said about the turkey pardons. She was released in 2000 by President Clinton about nine years into a 24-year sentence for conspiracy to traffic the drug MDMA.