Newsom pardons five California veterans

SACRAMENTO —  Gov. Gavin Newsom on Veterans Day pardoned five former members of the military and is seeking one posthumous clemency grant for another for convictions that include robbery, drug dealing and grand theft.

Newsom’s office said “a pardon grant recognizes the grantee’s self-development and accountability after conviction,” but does not erase a conviction or seek to minimize the harm caused by the recipient.

The governor’s office offered a brief description of each person who received a pardon on Monday. All five of the recipients are veterans who were honorably discharged from service:

• Don Archibald, who served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, was sentenced to five years to life in prison for first-degree robbery on May 24, 1966, in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
  
• Marcus Page, who served in the U.S. Marines, was sentenced to three years of probation and 240 days in jail for the transport or sale of a controlled substance in San Diego County Superior Court on April 7, 1994.

• Robert Teagle, who served in the U.S. Army as an Army Ranger, was sentenced to three years of probation and 69 days in jail for the transport or sale of a controlled substance on Sept. 4, 1981, in San Bernardino County Superior Court. Teagle was wounded in action, received a Purple Heart and the Silver Star during his time in service.
  
• Alex Zonn, who served in the U.S. Air Force, was sentenced to three years of probation and 60 days in jail for possessing marijuana for sale on Feb. 16, 1970, in Ventura County Superior Court.
  

• Brian Tinney, who served in the U.S. Navy, was sentenced to five years of probation and 90 days in jail for grand theft of property on Jan. 25, 1994, in San Diego County Superior Court. On July 11, 1996, Tinney was sentenced to a concurrent term of two years in prison for the crime of felon or addict in possession of a firearm.

  State law does not allow Newsom to pardon or commute the sentences of someone with more than one felony conviction without the high court’s approval. The California Supreme Court reviewed his case and recommended him for a pardon.

Newsom is also seeking a posthumous pardon for Sgt. Richard Allen Penry, an Army veteran who received the Medal of Honor. A pardon for Penry, who was convicted of drug-related crimes, requires the approval of the California Supreme Court.

Anyone convicted of a crime in California can apply for a pardon or commutation from the governor, who has granted 186 pardons during his time in office.

A pardon restores some rights to former felons, such as the ability to serve on a jury or to seek a professional license. In limited cases, pardons can restore gun rights to those convicted of crimes that did not involve a dangerous weapon or relieve a sex offender from being required to register.