Court Suspends Pardons Issued by Outgoing Mississippi Governor
The release of at least 21 inmates pardoned by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has been suspended while the cases are reviewed.
The pardons handed down by outgoing Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to about 200 convicted criminals has cause an ongoing uproar throughout the state and the country. Barbour pardoned the convicts, many of whom were convicted of violent crimes, including murder and rape, as one of his final acts as governor. As such, he was not officially in office to address the puzzling act or answer the numerous questions about why he did what he did.
Only yesterday did Barbour address the issue in a statement, which said, "The pardons were intended to allow them to find gainful employment or acquire professional licenses as well as hunt and vote. My decision about clemency was based upon the recommendation of the Parole Board in more than 90 percent of the cases." But that explanation is not making the matter any less difficult to understand or to fix for the lawmakers still on the job.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, is speaking out against the pardons and is leading the charge to make sure that violent criminals are not released free and clear. In speaking about the issue, Hood explained that some pardon procedures required by the Mississippi State Constitution were not followed, thus allowing for a judge to place an injunction on the pardon proceedings. Hood noted that Barbour handled his role of governor as if he were "Boss Hogg" from the 1980s action series, the Dukes of Hazzard.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the pardon process in this instance is that it retroactively exonerates the criminals, making it as though they never committed a crime in the first place. So, murderers and other violent offenders who were accurately convicted of their crimes via due process are not required to enter the parole system or have any restrictions placed upon their activities once released. Obviously, that creates an extremely dangerous situation for the public, and that danger is at the heart of the growing outcry against the pardons.
Only yesterday did Barbour address the issue in a statement, which said, "The pardons were intended to allow them to find gainful employment or acquire professional licenses as well as hunt and vote. My decision about clemency was based upon the recommendation of the Parole Board in more than 90 percent of the cases." But that explanation is not making the matter any less difficult to understand or to fix for the lawmakers still on the job.
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, is speaking out against the pardons and is leading the charge to make sure that violent criminals are not released free and clear. In speaking about the issue, Hood explained that some pardon procedures required by the Mississippi State Constitution were not followed, thus allowing for a judge to place an injunction on the pardon proceedings. Hood noted that Barbour handled his role of governor as if he were "Boss Hogg" from the 1980s action series, the Dukes of Hazzard.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the pardon process in this instance is that it retroactively exonerates the criminals, making it as though they never committed a crime in the first place. So, murderers and other violent offenders who were accurately convicted of their crimes via due process are not required to enter the parole system or have any restrictions placed upon their activities once released. Obviously, that creates an extremely dangerous situation for the public, and that danger is at the heart of the growing outcry against the pardons.
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