Quinn Grants 65 Clemency Requests

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn is granting 65 clemency petitions and denying 124 while working through a backlog of pardon requests.

The Democrat announced Friday he had acted on 189 requests on dockets dating to 2004.

His predecessor, the impeached and now-imprisoned Rod Blagojevich, notoriously let clemency petitions pile up.

Among those granted pardons Friday — typically with a criminal record being wiped clean — were an armed robber; several convicted of battery, including domestic battery; several convicted of unlawful use of weapon; illicit drug-delivery and possession of methamphetamine or a product to make meth.

Since Quinn took office in 2009, he has acted on 2,600 clemency petitions.

He has granted 990 and denied 1,650.

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