Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants full pardons to two dozen applicants, defers one case over restitution

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles granted full and absolute pardons to a slate of applicants at its March 11, 2025 virtual hearing and postponed one case so staff and counsel can address unresolved restitution.

The board, chaired by Michael Pohl, voted unanimously on each approved application. Pohl told applicants at the start of the session that “an absolute pardon, if granted, may result in the complete erasure of your record of criminal convictions in the state.” The hearing coordinator noted that any grant is tentative until record checks are completed: “Tentatively granted as used means the board may vote to grant you a pardon, but the pardon is not final until all record checks are successfully completed and your record has been cleared by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification.”

Why it matters: A full pardon can remove a conviction barrier to employment, licensing and housing applications. Applicants and their attorneys repeatedly told the board that a pardon would open job and education opportunities; victims and family members in some cases spoke in favor of or opposed relief. The panel frequently referenced applicants’ completion of treatment, college degrees, steady employment and community volunteer work as reasons for approval.

What the board decided: The board approved full and absolute pardons for 24 named applicants and moved the application of Emmanuel Velez to a future docket (about three months) for follow-up on an outstanding restitution balance reported at roughly $84,000. Board member Deborah Smith Palmeri explicitly noted that the balance “is $84,000 that remains outstanding” and urged a…