Trump's Jan. 6 order pardons dozens of New Englanders, releases 3 Mass. residents from prison

President Trump has pardoned or commuted the sentences of approximately 1,500 people convicted of crimes committed during the Jan. 6 insurrection, making good on a campaign promise and stunning legal observers.

At least three from Massachusetts serving prison sentences related to their actions that day have been released since Trump's announcement Monday night. While the names of those pardoned were not immediately available, the sweeping Day 1 clemency likely applies to the 55 New Englanders who were among those that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

In the proclamation issued from the White House, Trump commuted the sentences of 14 people, as well as pardoned "all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021."

Trump’s clemency means defendants could regain some of their civil liberties, such as the right to vote, own a gun, serve on a jury or hold office. While it may remove the stigma of a conviction, the offense will still appear in court records along with the pardon.

Jacquelyn Starer, a former physician from Ashland, was released Monday night from federal prison in Texas, according to her attorneys. She had been serving a nine-month sentence after she struck an officer with a closed fist.

Joseph Fisher was also set free in light of Trump's proclamation. The retired Boston policeman was released from federal prison in Pennsylvania, a spokesperson at the FCI Allenwood Low confirmed Tuesday morning. He had been serving a 20-month prison sentence for pushing a chair into a Capitol police officer while the officer chased another rioter.

Another Massachusetts resident, Vincent Gillespie, was sentenced to 68 months in prison. The federal prison in New Jersey where he was incarcerated confirmed Tuesday morning that he had been released.

A jury found Gillespie, the son of a famous artist, guilty of four charges including assault on an officer. He grabbed a police shield and rammed it into a Capitol officer, while shouting “traitor” and “treason,” according to sentencing documents. His attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.

More than 140 Capitol police officers were injured in the 2021 insurrection.

About 1,100 people had been sentenced so far for their actions on Jan. 6, according to the Department of Justice.

Stefanie Chiguer, of Dracut, served 16 months probation for entering the Capitol.

Reached by phone Sunday, the mother of two said she was indifferent to a pardon as she said the damage to her life has already been done. After Jan. 6, her father disowned her and her friend who she said convinced her to go to D.C. turned on her.

"A pardon can't bring that back," she said.

She said she had no idea the situation would escalate the way it did when she initially planned to go — and given she did not commit any violent crimes, said she didn't feel she did anything "wrong-wrong."

Chiguer added the experience ultimately brought positive changes into her life. She volunteers at a nonprofit fighting food insecurity among schoolchildren in Dracut, where she did her court-ordered community service.

"If I didn't go to D.C., I wouldn't have been on probation. And I wouldn't have met my friends now. And I wouldn't be involved with the community had I not done community service," she said. "I guess it took out the bad and brought in the good in my life."

Her attorney, Heather Shaner, said Chiguer “is among the most remorseful” of her 44 clients, adding she is "a wonderful American."

Chris Keniley, of Greenfield, pleaded guilty to two nonviolent misdemeanors and was sentenced in July to 10 days in prison and remains on probation. He admitted in court documents that he entered the Capitol and recorded a video outside in which he exclaimed, “Yeah the criminals are inside, go get them."

Reached by phone last week, the 64-year-old accountant said he regrets going inside the Capitol.

“ In hindsight, I would not have done that. I would not have gone in the building because it just ends up being bad publicity,” he said.

Keniley said he hoped a pardon would be granted to his friends serving prison sentences.

"I think they've paid enough,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said the pardons were irresponsible.

"This is an absolute desecration of the presidential pardon powers," he said on CNN Tuesday morning. "It sends a signal that it is okay for Proud Boys, okay for Oathkeepers and others to once again begin their thoughts about violent insurrection against the United States of America."

Proud Boys is a right-wing extremist group and Oathkeepers is a far-right, anti-government militia. The charges against some of their members were among the most serious.

U.S. Rep. Bill Keating did not attend Trump’s inauguration, citing the president’s plan to issue pardons. He said Trump is ignoring the gravity of the offenses and risks “whitewashing and normalizing” the events of that day.

”When you use a pardon in that circumstance, where you won't even acknowledge the crime or what was done,” he said, ahead of Trump's proclamation. “Impunity instead of accountability. That's a danger.”

Boston defense attorney Jeffrey Denner, who represented a Jan. 6 defendant from North Adams, said he’s troubled that pardons have been politicized.

“ Pardons should be something that are exercised in the interest of justice and the interest of justice shouldn't be so widely disagreed upon by people there,” he said.

While the timing of Trump's pardons is unusual, offering blanket clemency to large swaths of people is not. Just last week, President Biden commuted the sentences of 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug charges. And Jimmy Carter faced significant criticism for pardoning Vietnam draft violators in 1977.