PADUCAH, Ky. — President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 people convicted of nonviolent crimes on Dec. 12. A man receiving a pardon was Paducah attorney Eddie Jones.
Jones said he first tried cocaine in 1999 to stay up later and have more energy in his day-to-day life.
“I guess I just presumed that I would be smarter than the drug, and that I would not let it control me,” Jones told Spectrum News 1.
But years later, it was in charge.
After an investigation, a grand jury indicted Jones for possession of cocaine in Feb. 2002.
Despite not using drugs since the day of his indictment, Jones was convicted a year and a half later, and sentenced to 10 months in prison.
Jones said, “My sentence was for an E Felony and possession of cocaine and, at that quantity, was actually a misdemeanor.”
To make matters worse, Jones had his license to practice law suspended and had to surrender his newborn daughter.
Jones said, “Allyson’s mother and I, and Allyson, drove to prison, and I changed her diaper for the last time. It was a tough day.
Ten months later, Jones was released, and lived in a halfway house. Jones went to a lot of meetings to help him with recovery and got into running as his way of overcoming drug use.
Jones said, “I became Forrest Gump. I started running.”
Because of his consistent running and going to rehab meetings, Jones was allowed to once again practice law.
In 2008, a judge allowed Jones to have his seven-year-old daughter to live with him.
Jones said, “The judge said, ‘You’re it. She’s going to live with you.’”
His life was back on track. Now that he could practice law, Jones could not only help others but also share his story with those going through the same struggles he went through.
Jones said, “I’m in a position to tell my story. I think I can offer more empathy rather than sympathy. I hope it comes across as meaningful.”
On his birthday this year, Jones got a call from the U.S. Pardon Attorney’s office.
Jones said, “Didn’t tell I had been pardoned, but it looked pretty promising.”
On Dec. 12, Biden’s clemency list was released, and Jones was on the list.
McCracken County Judge Executive Craig Clymer is a friend of Jones and he was happy when he heard the news.
Clymer said, “If Eddie doesn’t deserve a pardon, I don’t know who does. You can look at perhaps other people who were given pardons and there are some discussions on whether or not that person deserves a pardon. But it’s a hard argument to make that Eddie Jones was not deserving of the pardon he received.”
Jones said, “It’s a symbol of our nation’s forgiveness. I didn’t break down into squalling tears. But yes, my eyes got moist. It was certainly a moment.”
Wiping his record clean after showing his dedication to overcoming addiction.