Rauner Grants 8 Clemency Petitions, Denies 85 Others

CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has granted eight requests for clemency and denied 85 other petitions.

Rauner's office announced the clemencies Friday. They continue the Republican's practice of approving requests at a far lower rate than his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn.

The petitions granted were for crimes including burglary, theft, drug possession and delivery of a controlled substance.

Some of the cases are decades old, and in most cases the people were sentenced to probation.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board does not make public the list of people whose requests were denied.

People whose clemency petitions are granted may go to court to try to have their criminal record expunged.

All have undergone a recent criminal background check through an Illinois law enforcement data system.

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