Barbour stands by pardon decisions

Written on by V2A, Filed under
Culture, Ethics, Government, Law, Politics, Religion
 13


Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour invoked his Christian belief in forgiveness and his childhood experiences with a convict named Leon Turner to explain why he granted clemency to 215 convicts just before he left office, including 17 murderers.

The former governor answered questions about the pardons for the first time Friday, three days after he created a furor when he filed the pardons and sentence commutations with the Secretary of State’s Office, then exited the political stage.

Barbour said he has been out of town. He knew victims’ families would be rightfully upset, he said, but he had no idea politics would be injected into his pardons decisions. He did not know the public would have the impression he let 215 inmates out of prison.

Barbour wanted most of all to stress that only 26 convicts granted clemency were still in state custody, and 13 of those were very ill. Four of the five murderers worked as trusties in the governor’s office. He intended all along to pardon them, he said, if they finished out his second term.

email
  • http://thechristiansolution.com thechristiansolution

    Problem #1: Extending Christian forgiveness to a government action.

    Problem #2: Murders working as trusties in the governor’s office.

  • Dennis

    I just heard that a bunch of these murderers worked at the governor's mansion. That sure is fishy, and I don't believe for a minute it was Christian compassion. Just more political corruption from rinos and liberals. I'm fed up with it!

  • http://VA JBinGB

    Listen to what the governor had to say about this before you make a judgement! Unless your a democrat of course then just snivel away.

  • Patrick Henry

    crooks taking care of crooks….what did you expect????

  • John

    Barber should be brought up on charges of crimes against the people, no ONE official, should have the power to let criminals go

  • Louis

    If these murderers were so rehabilitated, why did the parole board turn down one of them just two weeks before Barber let him go? And this jerk was considered a potential Presidential candidate? Really! No wonder Obama got elected.

  • http://www.missiontoisrael.org TedRWeiland

    "'The President of the United States has the unrestrained power of granting pardons for treason (Art 2, Sect 2, Clause 1); which may be sometimes exercised to screen from punishment those whom he had secretly instigated to commit the crime, and thereby prevent a discovery of his own guilt.' (George Mason, "The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers," ed. David Wootten (Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing Company, 2003) p. 1.)

    "This could have been written with George W. Bush [and others like Governor Barber] in mind. On July 2, 2007, he commuted Scooter Libby’s prison term after Libby was convicted in the CIA identity leak of Valerie E. Wilson, aka Valerie Plame. During his two-term administration, Bush granted 191 pardons and nine commutations of people condemned as criminals by the United States judicial system."

    For more, see "Article 2: Executive Usurpation" at http://www.missiontoisrael.org/biblelaw-constitut….

    Find out how much you really know about the Constitution as compared to Yahweh's moral law (His commandments, statutes, and judgments). Take our Constitution Survey at http://www.missiontoisrael.org/constitutionsurvey… and receive a free copy of the "Primer" (an 85 page book, normally $7 plus shipping) of "Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective."

  • http://AOL Barbara R.

    In my opinion, this was a very stupid move! I retired from the Texas Correctional system, and I know that some of these inmates are not always what they appear to be. He should allow the correctional system do their jobs. In my opinion, if any of the these Pardoned inmates get into any trouble , Gov. Barber should be held accountable.

  • Jon Golt

    IF any one of them should do ANY CRIME, then Barbour should also do ALL of the TIME that he let these Killers off for! You let them off, You put YOUR neck on the line for them!

  • RogCol

    Goodbye Haley, it was good knowing you. Enjoy your retirement from public service.

  • helm20558

    A prime example of why there should NEVER be any pardons, by any one, Unless there is physical proof (dna) of innocence.

  • jr

    Wonder how much money this “former governor” is going to make from this decision??

  • JVB

    Hiding one's intent to sabotage the one coming in behind religious mandates is hitting the bottom of the barrel.

Subscribe to Email Updates

Email Address:

2012 Delegate Map Counter