Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants pardons to dozens of applicants; some decisions tentative

HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles tentatively granted absolute pardons to dozens of applicants at an Aug. 12 virtual hearing, with board members citing applicants’ rehabilitation, steady employment and community service while noting several files that prompted tougher questioning and a small number of continuances.

At the start of the session Chair Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini reminded applicants that pardons are granted only after review and that any pardon the board votes to grant is tentative until record checks are completed and the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification confirms the clearing of criminal history. “The board may grant an absolute pardon or a certificate of employability,” she said during opening remarks.

Why it matters: Pardons erase a state conviction from public records once state checks are complete and a certificate is mailed, removing a legal barrier to some jobs, housing and licensing. The board held live hearings on dozens of individual applications and issued immediate rulings in most cases; the board noted that applicants will receive an email or letter with the decision and that the record-clearing process can take up to roughly 10 weeks.

What the board decided: By the end of the session the board recorded the grant of absolute pardons for…