Outgoing Mississippi governor issues nearly 200 pardons

Outgoing Mississippi governor issues nearly 200 pardons

www.cnn.com

In his last days in office, outgoing Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour approved full pardons for 199 people, including 14 convicted murderers, according to documents released by the Mississippi Secretary of State's office Tuesday.

Barbour, who served eight years in office, had previously granted full pardons to three other convicted killers in 2008. Another three were awarded conditional or indefinite releases during his time in office -- meaning that the governor, in total, granted reprieves to 20 convicted murderers, the documents showed.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Didn't California a few months back release a bunch of prisoners too?

This seems ludicrous to me...20 convicted murders pardoned!

Apparently the Governor does not have to explain this or give a reason...and how convenient it was his last day in office!

I just thought I would share this bit of news with ATS and see what the opinion is about it.



www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Maybe this is his way of letting go the prisoners who were wrongfully accused of murder based on faulty evidence or new evidence. Perhaps this is his way of saving face.

Just my guess.

reply to post by theRhenn

Families of the victims killed by these men expressed outraged at Barbour's decision to let them go free.

In 1993, Gatlin walked into the trailer where his estranged wife, Tammy Ellis Gatlin, lived and shot her in the head. The woman's friend, Randy Walker, survived a gunshot to the head.

"In my heart, I would hope he (Barbour) did not know all the facts ... because if he did, we had a monster for a governor," said Tiffany Brewer, Tammy Gatlin's sister.

www.cnn.com...

I don't know...sounds like at least some of them were pretty clear cut cases of murder!

I'll look for more from the families and facts from the cases before I vote that he is saving face.


ETA: Here is another link to the story!

www.chicagotribune.com...

Just as they go in a mixed bag of true criminals and those simply being railroaded they'll come out a mixed bag of true criminals and those who were simply railroaded.

Trouble is that railroading isnt so simple and those who went in wrongfully will come out bitter, jaded, mistrustful, stigmatized and not likely be able (even if they wanted to) to contribute to society.

With all the politics and irrational fear that's used to lock people up in horrible circumstances I really wish we;d stop once in a while and ask "is it worth it?" because the answer quite plainly is "no, its not." Punishment is never rehabilitation and it always costs far more than the expense of the crime committed and the risk of destroying an otherwise sane and productive human being to save face with "justice" should be a no-brainer.

Hell, pardon them all. Every last one. From the pot cultivator to the serial murderer. Being where they are isnt doing anyone any good.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


With that logic...free all the child molesters too...and when they re-offend by touching one of my little girls...then I can be put away for murder.

I don't necessarily agree with our judicial system...and certainly not the prison industry...but to free them...well that just seems crazy to me!

Put them to death...exile them to an island in the Pacific...anything aside from just turning them loose!

I don't want a pedophile walking on my block...stalking his next victim because there is no punishment for crimes anymore!

reply to post by jerryznv


The pedophile has to offend to be put away in the first place so free or not it doesnt matter. When one goes away another will rise up.

The only protections your child or any child ever has is your parenting and the childs education.

Pedo's are the new hip fear. Just like murderers, rapists, violent racists, thieves and swindlers they've always existed. You childs safety has not changed but your perception of it has.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

The pedophile has to offend to be put away in the first place so free or not it doesnt matter. When one goes away another will rise up.

Well if one goes away...that make one less in the world!

If that one remains free...and another rises up...well...now we have two!

I agree that parenting is essential...and making you child aware of the dangers that stalker pose...does help.

On the other hand though...my 11 year old daughter is pretty defenseless against a full grown mans physical attack...so if it is some sick toucher...or a full blown child rapist...either way...do away with them.

On that note...a man that shoots his estranged wife while she is holding her baby...well...do away with him too!

Just my opinion...I don't care where they go...as long as they are gone!

You childs safety has not changed but your perception of it has.

This is true too....as media evolves...and things like the internet make us more aware of the tactics of criminals like this...my perception does and has changed!

I have met someone who committed a crime as bad as armed robbery who realized that they did put people's lives in danger when they did their bad deeds. Over the years, they attended their probation meetings, and completed all of the requirements that the court laid out for them. After a few years on probation along with some good counseling, that individual realized that they needed to keep their social interactions to TRUE friends and family, and not psychopaths who talk them into criminally insane ideas. This person was fully rehabilitated. That is the purpose of the corrections system. Rehabilitation. It is possible.

I am assuming that the ex-governor must have had psychological evaluations done on each of the inmates who were released, before that happened. Some proof of that would be helpful, if it's out there.

I do not see how the system can keep people incarcerated if they can be evaluated by a professionals (Department of Corrections and a good psychiatrist) to be rehabilitated after years of corrections. If anyone can prove that the ex-governor did not do psychological evaluations on the released inmates it will be an interesting topic to follow to see if there are any bad repercussions (hopefully not).

I also must mention that I do not believe that psychopaths/perverts can be rehabilitated. Those individuals need to be kept away from society. One thing I thought of in the past is maybe they could build a homestead that has no exits and is locked up tight. Of course supplies could be delivered and traded to the city, because the psychopaths that live there would have the options of farming, manufacturing, and hey they could even have a college onsite.

Those people could be separated from society, but still be productive to society. Sorry it's a little off topic, but it's something I've always thought they should do. Then all the worst inmates would have a safe productive place to live, and if anyone got hurt-it would stay within the boundaries of the homestead. There would still have to be guards to oversee that the homestead continues to function (i.e. keep the violence to a minimum).

reply to post by jerryznv


Granted, there will be one less. Until he gets out. Bitter, angry, probably better trained as well as more sick. Then you get 1 plus 1 in ver 2.0. Maybe a swift death is the better option. If it can be done cheaper than the long term incarceration.

The image of the violent abduction is very rare. Your 11 year old doesnt stand much of a chance against that outside of screaming, clawing and fighting as loudly as she can. But that scenario isnt just about a pervert. That scenario more often than not ends in murder.

Most common (still an amazingly rare occurrence despite what pop-media and politicians would have you believe) is the known and trusted attacker. A counselor, teacher, neighbor, family member, coach, cop, etc...

The John Walsh scenario is like being hit by lighting. The person in a position of trust or authority is like a plane crash. More likely, still super rare. The amount of time, attention, emotion and legislation put into it is hardly balanced.

I won't judge. I just hope some study was done before a release and it not being just rewarding based on family name or something.
Should a murderer be pardoned...I don't know. I think this is one of the times when circumstances are considered, victims familys questioned, etc.

But obviously child rapists, and brutal murderers should simply not even be considered..it would have to be some outlandish alien type situation that went on for any consideration..meanwhile, there are probably thousands of people that should be pardoned.

Final thought, again, didn't look at the list or names...but hopefully the people pardoned are "regular guys". One thing I get annoyed about is white collar financial destroyers get a free pass while the blue collars never get considered..arguably the worse crime is robbing someone of their foundation, creating an unstable many verses a personal crime against someone.

Originally posted by jerryznv
On the other hand though...my 11 year old daughter is pretty defenseless against a full grown mans physical attack...so if it is some sick toucher...or a full blown child rapist...either way...do away with them.

Education seems to be the issue here
your 11 year old is pretty safe, so long as you personally are taking an active role in seeing what is going on. Remember, most child rapes and such happen not from some stranger giving away free candy in his van, it happens from close family members..even mothers and fathers..the whole concept of the prowling child snatcher is so rare in reality it makes..well, national if not international news when it happens, yet every day tons of kids are being subjected to their uncle or aunt's bad touches, etc.

As far as some pedo being released into public. Well, a pedo in or completed therapy is no real threat. what is more disturbing is the ones whom are not known, the ones that may be babysitting your kid..but the bigger danger to them are the non pedo's that are going through a overly tramatic situation in their life and prone to really, really bad decisions. If your brother is going through the death of his spouse for instance and torn up, and has a special connection with your daughter...spend far more time monitoring them...

You suggest that the net and news has clued you in on how they think..but this is untrue. instead people simply get saturated in false memes verses published understandings based on statistical and psychological analysis. I suspect the corporate image of a child stalker to sell you stuff to defend is at play here moreso than truth. The war on reality is going strong.

reply to post by InFriNiTee


On a very personal note...I spent 13 years in prison (for a crime I did commit) and was released on parole for a couple of years...I live a completely normal life (aside from employment opportunities I am not ever going to be eligible for...and the loss of my voting and hunting rights)...so I know that rehabilitation is possible.

A pardon however...seems unacceptable to me for some of these people!

Early release...sure in a lot of cases is justified...but a full blown pardon...I don't think so!

I agree that with evaluations from professional psychologists and a evaluation done by the DOC...that a person should be considered for a second chance...early release if it is warranted!

The full blown pardon though...I am not buying that for a cold blooded killer!

Originally posted by theRhenn
Maybe this is his way of letting go the prisoners who were wrongfully accused of murder based on faulty evidence or new evidence. Perhaps this is his way of saving face.

Just my guess.

I was just thinking the same thing. The Innocence Project has sprung free an awful large number of people from Death Row based on DNA evidence. About as solid as it gets..and puts down the idea that innocent men aren't sitting in cells. I'd want more context before calling him down on this...given that fact. Hmm...

reply to post by SaturnFX


I brought up the subject of pedo's...so I can't say that this thread went completely off course...but seems that it is headed that way so...whether or not it is a relative...or a complete stranger...I guess the question would be what to do with that person and when should they be pardoned?

The governor in Mississippi thinks a full blown pardon is before early release and supervision of these (mostly violent offenders) and I disagree with a complete pardon for them!

I consider pedo's in the category of violent offenders...so they are included in my opinion that a full pardon is unacceptable for their crime!

Like I said early...maybe early release if rehabilitation is successful and with the approval of the DOC...but a full pardon...no way!

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I am having a hard time digging up the names and cases of any of these people that were pardoned (probably because they were pardoned)!

So it is difficult to say what the circumstances were surrounding the decision to pardon them...if they truly are innocent..then cheers to that...if not...this is not so good!

I know in the case I quoted in a early post...the fellow was clearly guilty of murdering his wife while she was holding her baby and shooting her friend in the head...that doesn't sound like something the innocence project would take on.

I'll keep trying to dig up something...but so far it has been tough to find much.

Originally posted by jerryznv
reply to post by InFriNiTee

 

On a very personal note...I spent 13 years in prison (for a crime I did commit) and was released on parole for a couple of years...I live a completely normal life (aside from employment opportunities I am not ever going to be eligible for...and the loss of my voting and hunting rights)...so I know that rehabilitation is possible.

A pardon however...seems unacceptable to me for some of these people!

Early release...sure in a lot of cases is justified...but a full blown pardon...I don't think so!

I agree that with evaluations from professional psychologists and a evaluation done by the DOC...that a person should be considered for a second chance...early release if it is warranted!

The full blown pardon though...I am not buying that for a cold blooded killer!

I

I agree 100%. A full blown pardon can allow someone who's sexually violent to be given the opportunity to hurt innocent people again, in the case of the rapists being pardoned. I do not see how he could give rapists a full pardon, unless it was some type of statutory thing where the parent's (plaintiff's) child wrote to the governor and asked him to pardon the one who plead guilty to the charges.

I also agree that a full pardon for convicted murderers is likely not a wise choice. There's cases sometimes where some guys are out hunting and a gun goes off and one of them dies. If there's no proof that it was an accident, I could see how some wrongful homicide convictions could result (I know it's happened in the USA). Only if new evidence has surfaced which indicates a wrongful conviction should be pardoned.

I hope there are some good updates to this story in the next couple of weeks. The sheer number and types of criminals receiving full pardon is mind blowing. I wonder if the governor is doing this to "get the state back" for some reason?

reply to post by jerryznv


considering only 30 were convicted murderers, its not too bad, out of 200 that is.

I have always believed holding a criminal record that pretty much prevents access to any decent job, is a recipe for more crime.

There is actually a new show on CBC called Redemption Inc, Kevin O'Leary from the series Dragon's Den, takes criminals who were convicted of any crimes other than murder/violence/rape and puts them to the test, in a business challenge. The last one to remain wins a business deal with Kevin, I thought it was pretty interesting, though I believe most of these shows to be fake.

It made me realize, preventing someone from a job, because they made money selling drugs or something is sort of silly if they are serious in their attempt to lead a straight life.

The former inmates are David Gatlin, convicted of fatally shooting his estranged wife in 1993 as she held her baby and wounding her friend; Joseph Ozment, convicted in 1994 of killing a man during a robbery; Anthony McCray, convicted in 2001 of killing his wife; Charles Hooker, sentenced to life in 1992 for murder; and Nathan Kern, sentenced to life in 1982 for burglary after at least two prior convictions.

Read more here: www.sunherald.com...=cpy

www.sunherald.com...

Here are a few more names and convictions..still searching.

I have to wonder how many of these convictions were on guilty pleas by their own admission!

The list released Tuesday shows Barbour also granted a full pardon to Azikiwe Kambule, a South African man whose manslaughter conviction in a 1996 Mississippi carjacking and slaying drew international attention because he was a teenager when the crime was committed and prosecutors had originally sought the death penalty. In June 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Kambule, who wanted to withdraw his guilty plea.

In another case, Barbour gave conditional clemency to Karen Irby, a Jackson socialite who pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in a Feb. 11, 2009, wreck that killed two young physicians who were engaged to each other.



Read more here: www.sunherald.com...=cpy

Well I guess there were a few guilty pleas that were a factor too!



Hee is another one...sounds suspicious!

-Michael Graham, whose sentence Barbour suspended in 1998 and whom he pardoned Tuesday. Graham was convicted of shooting his ex-wife in 1989 in downtown Pascagoula with a shotgun at point-blank range.

Read more here: www.sunherald.com...=cpy