1) commutation of sentence is the shortening of a criminal sentence
2) pardon is a public declaration of forgiveness by the governor after the sentence has been served
The procedure the Colorado legislature has enacted for the commutation and pardon process is found in Colorado Revised Statutes, §§ 16-17-101, 102.
The application form for both types of clemency can be found here.
The state’s Clemency Coordinator will seek input from the district attorney, the judge who presided over the case, and the attorney who prosecuted the case. The Clemency Coordinator will also seek input from the victim. Once this is complete, the packet is reviewed by the clemency board, which makes recommendations on the merits of each application. The governor then makes a final decision to grant, deny, table (postpone consideration) or take no action concerning the request.[/vc_wp_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row]