CLEMENCY GRANTED: NJ GOVERNOR REDUCES SENTENCE OF WOMAN CONVICTED AT 19

A former Camden County resident convicted of murder will walk free nearly two decades ahead of schedule after receiving clemency from Gov. Phil Murphy.

Paige Pfefferle, now 34, was granted a commutation Tuesday, reducing her 30-year sentence without parole to time served. She had spent 12 years behind bars.

Pfefferle, who once lived in Audubon Park, was found guilty in 2013 for fatally stabbing her high school boyfriend three years earlier. She was 19 at the time of the incident. Advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, have long argued she acted in self-defense after suffering abuse.

The ACLU-NJ called Pfefferle "a survivor who defended herself against her abuser." Following her release, Pfefferle will remain under parole supervision for five years, a condition of her original sentence.

"I'm grateful to be granted clemency so I can advocate for those who suffer from mental health issues and for women and young girls who are survivors of domestic abuse," she said in a statement released through the ACLU-NJ.

Pfefferle was one of six individuals to receive a commutation on Tuesday. Gov. Murphy also issued 87 pardons. While a pardon clears a conviction entirely, a commutation reduces the sentence but keeps the conviction on record.

The clemency decisions were based on recommendations from New Jersey’s newly formed Clemency Advisory Board, which began reviewing applications in June. The board prioritizes individuals convicted of non-violent crimes and survivors of domestic or sexual violence who acted against their abusers.

"With our Administration’s groundbreaking clemency initiative, we are living up to New Jersey’s reputation as the ‘State for Second Chances,’" Murphy said. "The individuals granted clemency today have earned that relief by dedicating themselves to personal growth and community betterment."