Some news and notes and rulings on federal compassionate release

I know that lots of people are eagerly awaiting the reported forthcoming list of clemency grants from Prez Trump on his last full day in office (including, it seems, Joe Exotic).  As we wait, I have noticed a number of recent pieces about so-called compassionate relief motions in the federal system, a mechanism which serves as a means now for federal judges to modify the prison sentences of some federal prisoners.  Here is a round up of some of these new pieces, included a few discussing grants and denials of compassionate release to notable individuals:

From Law360, “Pandemic Is Changing Compassionate Release Calculus“

From Colorado Politics, “Federal judges in Colorado denied overwhelming majority of requests to release inmates for COVID-19“

From Uerweb, “Bill Underwood is FREE! Former Music Exec Granted Compassionate Release from Prison After 33 Years“

From the AP, “Jailed kids-for-cash judge loses bid for pandemic release“

From Reuters, “U.S. judge rejects ‘Pharma Bro’ Shkreli’s bid for compassionate release from prison“