Monday, June 11, 2012

Who gets pardoned?

NBC Prime Time News and Prof. P.S. Ruckman at the blog Pardon Power recently highlighted the pending pardon application of Stephen Arrington, a former Navy diver once convicted of drug smuggling who went on to become a Cousteau Society expedition leader and founder of youth-oriented nonprofits in the US and Fiji. In an email notifying me of the story, Ruckman asked simply, "Why not?"

See also recent blog posts on clemency-related subjects from your correspondent at the Pardon O. Henry! blog:
The academic article described in that first bulleted post is an especially timely exposition on the subject and well worth the read for anyone interested in clemency topics.

RELATED: The case for clemency: Pardon power too-long ignored among checks and balances

6 comments:

  1. I'm thinking I saw the man described in the article one day and he was wearing red speedos, blue tights and a cape.
    With all that it would still be amazing if he gets a pardon but I hope he does.

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  2. No kidding, RL! When your approve rates get as low as Obama's and Bush II's, they're refusing (or more often, just refusing to rule on) a lot of worthy candidates.

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  3. Hey Grits, I'm headed over to check out the links after I offer up a 'thank you' for covering this very important issue.

    Despite not having any juice to make it stick, I'd like to call for an investigation into the TBP&P's 'Clemency' Section. Specifically regarding the Full Pardon - for innocence hurdle / loophole / brick wall 'Rule' requiring the Applicant to contact & obtain an unanimous decision of the three original trial officials. Yep, the very individuals that knowingly & willingly participated in seeking a wrongful conviction.

    We (the public at large) need to know who authored and implemented this bullshit? Their political party affiliation & the reason(s) for including these individuals in the process? How many have been issued since its inception? AND, a Senator to step up and get this Rule the funeral it deserves. While this Rule is in place, Applicants will continue to spend / waste upwards of 6 months waiting on a 'Denied' letter. Then waiting one full year and either going thru it all over again or simply throwing in the towel.

    The truly Not Guilty community deserves more than a piece of paper and shouldn't have to entertain those shown to have participated. Thanks.

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  4. my son,h.d.nielsen,1106503, 8 out of 11 parole attempts were trouble free, still no parole, he currently undergoing , retallation, from guards , because he, and another inmate notifyed ,family of a very sick , 83 yr. ole inmate, sen. 3 years , for dwi, other inmates careing for him, dirtyred himself, too weak to go eat, so guess no parole again this year,and he didn,t even kill anyone, in fact i have the court records , stating he wasn,t found guilty of anything. he did plea, to atemped agu. assualt. lawyers advise not texas has had a whipping boy for 11 years. bitter mom

    ReplyDelete
  5. my son,h.d.nielsen,1106503, 8 out of 11 parole attempts were trouble free, still no parole, he currently undergoing , retallation, from guards , because he, and another inmate notifyed ,family of a very sick , 83 yr. ole inmate, sen. 3 years , for dwi, other inmates careing for him, dirtyred himself, too weak to go eat, so guess no parole again this year,and he didn,t even kill anyone, in fact i have the court records , stating he wasn,t found guilty of anything. he did plea, to atemped agu. assualt. lawyers advise not texas has had a whipping boy for 11 years. bitter mom

    ReplyDelete
  6. my son,h.d.nielsen,1106503, 8 out of 11 parole attempts were trouble free, still no parole, he currently undergoing , retallation, from guards , because he, and another inmate notifyed ,family of a very sick , 83 yr. ole inmate, sen. 3 years , for dwi, other inmates careing for him, dirtyred himself, too weak to go eat, so guess no parole again this year,and he didn,t even kill anyone, in fact i have the court records , stating he wasn,t found guilty of anything. he did plea, to atemped agu. assualt. lawyers advise not texas has had a whipping boy for 11 years. bitter mom

    ReplyDelete