SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom has given clemency to two Valley prisoners in accordance with California law.
Eric Self, a resident of Fresno, was sentenced to a year in jail and two years probation related to a conviction for possession of a controlled substance on July 26, 2004 according to a statement issued by Newsom’s office. On April 25, 2007, just months before his parole would have ended, Self was rearrested and his parole was revoked on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to two years in jail.
According to the statement, Self complied with penal codes that allow a convicted person to demonstrate rehabilitation. On Oct. 17 2017, the Superior Court of Fresno granted Self a letter of rehabilitation. The court then recommended that Self receive a pardon.
Because of the evidence that Self has since lived an upright life, and in accordance with the court’s recommendation, Newsom has granted Self a full and unconditional pardon for his crimes.
Richard Garcia, a man from Tulare County, was an accomplice in a 2009 gang-related shooting that left one man dead and another injured. Garcia was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 and sentenced to 15 years to life plus 25 years for his involvement in the crime. Garcia was 23 at the time of the crime.
While incarcerated, Garcia participated in a program assisting disabled prisoners and started a youth offender mentorship program. He has been commended by prison staff for his commitment to helping others and efforts toward rehabilitation and self-improvement.
Garcia was recommended for clemency to allow him to appear before a parole board for potential early release because of his conduct while incarcerated. The act of clemency does not necessarily allow Garcia to be released early, but does offer him the opportunity for early reentry into society if granted.
Newsom’s office reviewed Garcia’s records while incarcerated and determined that due to the fact he was a youthful offender and has demonstrated efforts to rehabilitate, he deserves an opportunity to face the parole board.
Following the announcement from the governor’s office, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward issued a statement on April 23 opposing the clemency decision and vowing to fight to ensure Garcia remains incarcerated.
“With the swipe of a pen, the governor voided the decision of the jury and the multiple decisions of Tulare County judges, jurists who presided where the crime took place, heard witness testimony, and understood the impact to the community,” Ward said in the statement. “The defendant is only one third of the way into a 40 year-to-life sentence for a cold-blooded violent crime. By his own admission, he and his co-defendants went looking to inflict violence that evening in 2009. They were literally hunting other human beings.
“This office will be present and argue against this defendant’s release at any future parole hearing.”
In addition to the two local cases, Newsom issued clemency and pardons to 23 convicted persons in the state. One of the high-profile pardons Newsom signed was for a veteran of the Vietnam War who suffered from PTSD symptoms and was convicted on drug charges. The man, who was a Medal of Honor recipient, has since passed away.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated on April 23, 2025 at 10:59 a.m. PST to include information from a statement that was received from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
