1. EXCLUSIVE: A drug kingpin convicted of murdering a police officer, Jamie Davidson, whose life sentence was commuted by Trump on his last day in office, was charged with strangling his wife and convicted of domestic violence in Florida earlier this year.
Davidson's reoffence has not been previously reported.
Popular Information has obtained the entire case file, including a full transcript of Davidson's trial.
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Davidson's reoffence has not been previously reported.
Popular Information has obtained the entire case file, including a full transcript of Davidson's trial.
Follow for details.
🧵
2. The commutation of Davidson's sentence was controversial at the time because of the severity of Davidson's offense and the atypical process that led to his release.
Requests for pardons and commutations usually are handled through the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Davidson had sought the commutation of his life sentence through official channels in 2013 and 2017 and was denied both times.
Requests for pardons and commutations usually are handled through the Office of the Pardon Attorney.
Davidson had sought the commutation of his life sentence through official channels in 2013 and 2017 and was denied both times.
3. In the waning days of the Trump administration, Davidson skipped the normal process. Instead, Davidson's attorney Betty Schein, used her deep connections to the Trump White House. Schein represented Trump Jr. and others in the Trump Org
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4. Davidson was convicted of the murder of Wallie Howard Jr., who was working undercover as a federal agent. Howard was shot in the back of the head in a Syracuse, New York, grocery store parking lot in 1990. According to authorities, Davidson was a drug kingpin in New York and recruited three men to rob Howard of $42,000 that Howard planned to use to buy four pounds of cocaine.
Robert Lawrence, a teenager at the time, testified at trial that Davidson handed him a .357 revolver hours before he shot Howard. Although Davidson was not present when Howard was killed, prosecutors successfully argued that Howard's death was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the robbery planned by Davidson.
On July 2, 1993, Davidson was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Robert Lawrence, a teenager at the time, testified at trial that Davidson handed him a .357 revolver hours before he shot Howard. Although Davidson was not present when Howard was killed, prosecutors successfully argued that Howard's death was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the robbery planned by Davidson.
On July 2, 1993, Davidson was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
5. On March 31, 2023, a little more than two years after Davidson was set free by Trump, Davidson was arrested in Orlando, Florida, and charged with battery by strangulation and domestic violence. Davidson was accused of attacking Nayeli Chang, his wife of five months.
6. At trial, Chang testified that she was at her home with Davidson on the night of March 31, 2023. She looked at Davidson's cell phone and discovered that Davidson was planning to leave the marriage as soon as a room was ready in another residence. Chang confronted Davidson, who was sleeping, and told him to leave immediately.
7. Chang testified that Davidson got up and "grabbed me by the neck with his left hand and choked me." She told him to "let me go because I can't breathe." Chang said that Davidson grabbed her very hard, and when "I tried to release myself using two hands, I couldn't." According to Chang, she "felt weak, and my body started feeling cold." Chang said she "thought she was going to die" and "the only thing I could think of was my child who was in the other bedroom."
The prosecution introduced photographs showing red marks when Chang said Davidson's nails dug into her skin.
The prosecution introduced photographs showing red marks when Chang said Davidson's nails dug into her skin.
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9. Davidson let go, Chang said, only when she threatened to call the police.
Chang testified that Davidson told her "she couldn't call the police" because, if she did, she would be deported, and they would take away her son. According to Chang, Davidson also advised her that "he is the government."
She called the police anyway.
Chang testified that Davidson told her "she couldn't call the police" because, if she did, she would be deported, and they would take away her son. According to Chang, Davidson also advised her that "he is the government."
She called the police anyway.
10. Davidson did not testify at trial but sent a 54-page email in January 2024 harshly attacking his wife. The email was sent to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), State Attorney Andrew Bain, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fraud department, Orlando's Spectrum News 13, and others.
11. The email begins with a letter from Davidson accusing prosecutors of "striving to make their names" and "protecting a known undocumented illegal immigrant & most importantly, a CRIMINAL… that's abusing of the system to acquire her U.S. Residency Papers."
Davidson said that his case was a matter of "National Importance" since it was a "clear abuse of Gov. DeSantis's new [sic] signed Bill 1718, that was passed into law to protect U.S. Citizens and Floridians." He said the charges against him were an example of "innocent U.S. Citizens that are being targeted by criminals."
Davidson said that his case was a matter of "National Importance" since it was a "clear abuse of Gov. DeSantis's new [sic] signed Bill 1718, that was passed into law to protect U.S. Citizens and Floridians." He said the charges against him were an example of "innocent U.S. Citizens that are being targeted by criminals."
12. Davidson wrote that prosecutors should have "taken a step back and looked up how Mr. Davidson was released from federal prison by Former President Donald J. Trump." He then quoted from the White House press release announcing his clemency.
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13. Davidson also accused his wife of "living a double life as a prostitute and hiding her money," "driving drunk with her 8-year-old son in the vehicle," and "coming in at all hours dead drunk and urinating on the bed and living room couch." He concluded the email by asking for an "ICE Agent and/or Court Police Officer, to DETAIN" his wife. He said that ICE ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] needs to "process Ms. Chang and take her off the streets of the United States."
Davidson made similar claims during a hearing regarding a temporary restraining order sought by Chang on April 5, 2023. The judge rejected Davidson's claims, finding that the allegations "belie[] credibility" and don't "make sense."
Davidson made similar claims during a hearing regarding a temporary restraining order sought by Chang on April 5, 2023. The judge rejected Davidson's claims, finding that the allegations "belie[] credibility" and don't "make sense."
14. During closing statements, Davidson's lawyer argued that Chang had made up the entire story. According to Davidson's lawyer, Chang was upset that if Davidson left her, she wouldn't benefit from a large financial settlement once Davidson proved he was wrongfully convicted of the 1990 murder. Davidson's lawyer also argued that Chang made up the story to avoid being deported and to obtain citizenship through the Violence Against Women Act.
The Florida jury found Davidson guilty of battery and domestic violence. Davidson was found not guilty of battery by strangulation, which requires a finding that the victim was placed at risk of "great bodily harm."
The Florida jury found Davidson guilty of battery and domestic violence. Davidson was found not guilty of battery by strangulation, which requires a finding that the victim was placed at risk of "great bodily harm."
16. The judge sentenced Davidson to three months in county jail and twelve months of supervised probation. Although Davidson's murder sentence was commuted, he is still on supervised release, the federal equivalent of probation. As a result of the battery conviction, federal prosecutors have filed a violation of the terms of his supervised release, and Davidson could potentially face years more in federal prison.
17. Davidson is the first person granted clemency by Trump known to be convicted of another crime. But he is not the only person Trump set free who has found themselves in legal hot water. The record raises serious questions about the atypical process used by Trump.
18. Want to share what happened after Trump set Jaime Davidson free? It's all right here, with direct quotes from primary sources.
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