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| Mississippi judge halts release of 21 prisoners Gov. Barbour pardoned |
| By heraldonline.com - Geoff Pender |
| Published: 01/13/2012 |
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JACKSON, MS — Attorney General Jim Hood says former Gov. Haley Barbour appears to have violated the state Constitution with many of the dozens of pardons he granted convicted criminals in his last days in office. A Hinds County judge on Wednesday night halted the release of 21 prisoners Barbour ordered freed who had not yet been released. Hood is asking the court to void improper pardons -- he’s unsure how many there are exactly and has his staff and local prosecutors and law enforcement researching -- to halt the release of those still locked up and require those on the loose to show up and prove their cases. Barbour said in a statement Wednesday that he believes people have misunderstood why he gave reprieves to more than 200 inmates. Most received full pardons, while others received suspended sentences because of medical conditions. “Approximately 90 percent of these individuals were no longer in custody, and a majority of them had been out for years,” Barbour 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. The 26 people released from custody due to clemency is just slightly more than one-tenth of 1 percent of those incarcerated. “Half of the people who were incarcerated and released were placed on indefinite suspension due to medical reasons because their health care expenses while incarcerated were costing the state so much money. These individuals suffer from severe chronic illnesses, are on dialysis, in wheelchairs or are bedridden. They are not threats to society but if any of them commits an offense -- even a misdemeanor -- they’ll be returned to custody to serve out their term. The Mississippi Constitution says any inmate seeking a pardon must publish notice about his intentions for 30 days in a newspaper in or near the county where the person was convicted before a pardon is granted. Read More. |
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