The Weldon Project and US Cannabis Roundtable Celebrate Trump Commutations for Jerry Haymon IV and Kevin Harden

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Weldon Project’s Mission Green initiative and the US Cannabis Roundtable celebrated President Donald J. Trump’s decision to grant full commutations to Jerry Haymon IV and Kevin Harden. Both cases have been the subject of sustained advocacy for mercy, justice and second chances.

The Weldon Project’s Mission Green initiative advocated extensively for Haymon, whose case became a powerful example of the continuing human consequences of federal marijuana prohibition.

Haymon, a former Division I college football player, was sentenced in 2020 to a mandatory 10 years in federal prison for a nonviolent marijuana conspiracy offense (United States v. Haymon, No. 1:19-mj-00111). He had no serious prior criminal record.

President Trump’s full commutation ends the remainder of Haymon’s sentence and probation, giving him the opportunity to return home and move forward with his life.

“This is an extraordinary moment for Jerry Haymon, Kevin Harden and the families who have stood beside them throughout this long journey,” said Weldon Angelos, founder of The Weldon Project. “Jerry was a gifted young athlete with a bright future who made a serious mistake and accepted responsibility for it. But a person’s worst decision should not define the rest of their life. President Trump’s decision to grant Jerry a commutation is a powerful recognition of redemption, mercy and the belief that people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives.”

“I am eternally grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Alice Johnson for giving me this extraordinary second chance,” said Jerry Haymon IV. “There are no words that can fully express what this commutation means to me and the people I love. I am deeply grateful to everyone who advocated for me, supported me and stood beside my family throughout this process, especially Weldon Angelos and Mission Green. They worked tirelessly to make this moment possible, and I intend to make the most of the opportunity I have been given.”

“The US Cannabis Roundtable is grateful for the actions of the Trump Administration in granting relief in these cases,” said David Mangone, SVP of Government Relations & Policy for the US Cannabis Roundtable. “Both cases highlight the continuing conflict between federal and state cannabis laws, even as most states have legalized cannabis in some form. It was an honor to support Mission Green in this matter, and we remain committed to securing federal reform to end needless and unjust incarceration for cannabis offenses.”

Haymon’s continued incarceration became increasingly difficult to reconcile with the dramatic transformation of marijuana laws and enforcement practices across the country. California and Virginia — the principal states implicated in Haymon’s case — now both permit adult-use marijuana under state law, even as marijuana remains prohibited under federal law.

“I want to thank President Trump for giving Jerry Haymon and Kevin Harden a second chance,” said Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion and reform advocate who has urged the White House to use its clemency powers. “No one should lose decades of their life for nonviolent cannabis offenses. I also recognize Weldon Angelos and The Weldon Project for their tireless work bringing people home. I hope this is only the beginning for those still waiting to rebuild their lives.”

“Jerry’s case represents exactly why Mission Green exists,” said Angelos. “At a time when marijuana has become a multibillion-dollar legal industry across much of America, people should not continue losing years of their lives to extraordinarily harsh federal punishment for marijuana offenses. President Trump’s commutation gives Jerry the chance to come home, reunite with his family and move forward with his life. That is what a second chance is supposed to mean.”

“Jerry Haymon received a mandatory 10-year federal sentence for a first-time, nonviolent marijuana offense while the legal and cultural landscape surrounding cannabis changed dramatically around him,” said Arizona State University law professor Erik Luna, who represented Haymon on behalf of the Mission Green initiative and serves as Director of Research and Legal Policy at The Weldon Project. “He served years in federal prison while state-legal cannabis became a multibillion-dollar industry across the country. We are grateful to President Trump and Pardon Czar Alice Johnson for recognizing the merits of Jerry’s case and giving him the opportunity to reclaim his freedom and his future.”

The Weldon Project worked on Haymon’s clemency effort alongside a coalition of advocates that included Luna, Mangone, Tyson and the Collegiate Clemency Consortium.

President Trump also granted a commutation to Kevin Harden, whose serious medical conditions caused substantial suffering and raised urgent humanitarian concerns about his continued imprisonment (United States v. Pieper et al., No. 4:11-cr-00127). The Weldon Project and Mission Green were proud to work alongside Freedom Grow and others in advocating for Harden and bringing attention to the urgency of his case.

“Kevin’s situation reminds us that clemency is one of the most important instruments of mercy available to a President,” said Angelos. “His medical circumstances made this an especially urgent case, and we are grateful to Freedom Grow and everyone else who fought to make sure his story was heard.”

ABOUT THE WELDON PROJECT AND US CANNABIS ROUNDTABLE

The Weldon Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing criminal justice reform, assisting individuals affected by incarceration and advocating for meaningful second chances.

Its Mission Green initiative focuses on securing clemency and relief for individuals serving federal sentences for marijuana-related offenses and addressing the continuing consequences of cannabis prohibition in an era of widespread state legalization.

The US Cannabis Roundtable is the voice of America’s regulated cannabis industry. Its members include leading cannabis operators and ancillary businesses operating in states where cannabis is legal for medical or adult use. USCR is committed to ending needless arrests and incarceration of individuals for cannabis offenses.

Josh Glasstetter
US Cannabis Roundtable
press@uscr.org
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