Alice Marie Johnson, granted clemency by Trump, moved to tears at SOTU

Alice Marie Johnson, the former prisoner who was granted clemency by President Trump last year, became visibly emotional as she was applauded at the State of the Union.

Johnson, a guest of the president’s for the Tuesday night speech, wiped away tears as lawmakers in both parties gave her a standing ovation.

Trump praised Johnson while discussing a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill, the First Step Act, which was passed at the end of last year.

President Trump commuted her sentence. Tonight, Alice Johnson is at his State of the Union. #SOTU https://t.co/OTAqkas3x8 pic.twitter.com/U89KQJrRWG

— CNN (@CNN) February 6, 2019

“Alice’s story underscores the disparities and unfairness that can exist in criminal sentencing and the need to remedy this total injustice,” he said in his speech. 

{mosads}“In June, I commuted Alice’s sentence,” he added. “When I saw Alice’s beautiful family greet her at the prison gates, hugging and kissing and crying and laughing, I knew I did something right. Alice is with us tonight and she is a terrific woman.”

Trump commuted Johnson’s sentence last June after pressure from reality star Kim Kardashian West, an advocate for criminal justice reform who visited the White House to meet with Trump.

The 63-year-old great-grandmother was serving a life sentence on nonviolent drug and money laundering charges.

The president and first lady also brought Matthew Charles, the first prisoner freed due to the First Step Act, to the State of the Union.