US governor issues 428 pardons during final days in office

[tulc]

Murderer and rapist among 428 pardoned in Kentucky

The Republican pardoned a convicted child rapist as well as a convicted murderer whose brother raised money for Mr Bevin's election campaign.

Mr Bevin was defeated by Democrat Andy Beshear in November after a contentious election.

The flurry of pardons sent shockwaves through the state's legal system.

State prosecutors told local media they had not been consulted on Mr Bevin's decision, and families of the victims were not notified in advance.

"I'm a big believer in second chances," Mr Bevin said in a statement to the Washington Post newspaper. "I think this is a nation that was founded on the concept of redemption and second chances and new pages in life."

Mr Bevin's spate of pardons includes Dayton Jones, convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy, Brett Whitaker, convicted of killing a pastor and his wife while drink-driving, and a woman who was sentenced to life in prison for throwing her newborn in the trash after giving birth in a flea market outhouse.

He also pardoned a man who was sentenced to 23 years in prison last year for raping a 9-year-old child.

The extensive list includes Patrick Brian Baker, convicted in 2017 of reckless homicide, robbery, impersonating a police officer and tampering with evidence linked to a 2014 home invasion that resulted in the death of Donald Mills.

Mr Baker's brother and sister-in-law held a political fundraiser for Mr Bevin last year, raising $21,500 (£16,100) and donating an additional $4,000 to his campaign at the same event, first reported by the local Courier Journal newspaper.

tulc(... )

 

[JackRT]

Astonishing! Perhaps governors and presidents should be limited in the number of pardons and/or executive orders and or tweets that can be issued in a day --- say, maybe two.

 

[The Barbarian]

Is this perhaps "getting even" with the voters who turned him out? Why would he wait until now to do it?

 

[JCFantasy23]

Yikes.

Is this perhaps "getting even" with the voters who turned him out? Why would he wait until now to do it?

Some of if this, yes, I'd say so. Also the kudos for the financial contributions. Scary thought.

I suppose there is not currently any reasonable restriction on this power to pardon.

 

[The Barbarian]

I suppose there is not currently any reasonable restriction on this power to pardon.

No, so far as I know, no state limits that. That's one of those things that make it necessary to chose people of character, or at least to not chose an amoral narcissist for chief executive.

 

[JackRT]

Yikes.



Some of if this, yes, I'd say so. Also the kudos for the financial contributions. Scary thought.

I suppose there is not currently any reasonable restriction on this power to pardon.

Maybe a limit of one or two pardons and/or executive orders per day (not bankable).

 

[Arcangl86]

No, so far as I know, no state limits that. That's one of those things that make it necessary to chose people of character, or at least to not chose an amoral narcissist for chief executive.

There are several states that actually don't grant the governor any power to grant clemency.

 

[JackRT]

There are several states that actually don't grant the governor any power to grant clemency.

Seems wise!

 

[Arcangl86]

According to a resource i found, some of these pardons might not be legal. 50-State Comparison<BR /> Characteristics of Pardon Authorities A lot of them don't meet the 7 year waiting period, but I can't tell if that's policy or law.

 

[The Barbarian]

There are several states that actually don't grant the governor any power to grant clemency.

Interesting. Which states?