Governor pardons 4 killers in his last week of office

Sykk

(CNN) -- In his last days in office, outgoing Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour pardoned four men convicted of murder, a state official said Monday.
David Gatlin, Joseph Ozment, Charles Hooker and Anthony McCray received full pardons and were released at 1 p.m. Sunday, said Suzanne Singletary, spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. All four were serving life sentences and worked as trusties at the governor's mansion, she said.
"It is at any governor's discretion," said Singletary.
Gatlin was convicted of murder, aggravated assault and burglary of a residence, she said. Ozment was convicted of murder, conspiracy and armed robbery in a separate case. Both inmates were at minimum security level, she said.
Hooker was convicted in a 1991 murder, while McCray was convicted in a 2001 murder, Singletary said. The governor also recently pardoned Nathan Kern, who was serving a life sentence for burglary, she said.
Families of the men's victims told CNN affiliates WAPT and WLBT they are outraged by Barbour's decision.
Attempts by CNN on Monday to reach Barbour's office for comment on the pardons were unsuccessful.
In 1993, WLBT reported, 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.
"Is Gov. Barbour going to pardon us from our aches and pains and heartache that we have to suffer?" the victim's mother, Betty Ellis, asked WLBT. "Is he going to pardon a child that had to grow up without a mother? Is he going to pardon me from never being able to feel her arms around my neck again? What is Barbour going to do about that?"
Tammy Gatlin's sister, Tiffany Ellis Brewer, said David Gatlin served less time than her sister lived.
"It's completely unfair," she said. "I mean, he's in jail for 18 years. She was 20 years old when she died and had her child laying in her arms when he shot her in the head. And he's pardoned?"
David Ruth, who was the lead investigator on the case, said there was an apparent communications foul-up. Tammy Gatlin's relatives received a letter from the state parole board Friday saying David Gatlin was not going to be paroled and would next be considered in October 2012. They received a call the next day saying he was being pardoned, Ruth told WLBT.
Meanwhile, the family of Ricky Montgomery told WAPT they received a call from the department on Saturday reporting Ozment's pardon. Montgomery, 33, was a store clerk who was slain on the job. Ozment was convicted of his murder.
"Of course it's devastating," said Mark McAbee, Montgomery's nephew. "You know, we go through this and it's reliving it over and over again, when I don't think the general public has any idea of the things these convicts are doing."
McAbee said his mother was incredulous two years ago to learn Ozment had been assigned to work at the governor's mansion. She wrote the Department of Corrections, he said, which told her that he met the requirements and underwent a screening process.
"We have people out on the streets that are sex offenders that have to register," McAbbe said. "This is a man (who) killed somebody. This man took somebody's life, and it's not going to indicate that on any paperwork."
Phil Bryant, Barbour's successor, is set to be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Tl;dr: see title.

This is outrageous. No reason behind it, so far...

I thought only the president has the power to grant a pardon...? Should a Governor have the power to pardon murderers/rapists etc?

MIN2511

We are NOT in America!

seamus

I never understood this logic behind the power to grant pardons. Why would an elected public official be qualified to decide that someone should be released from prison?

It's probably a throwback to regal times when a king was effectively infallible and therefore had the power to issue pardons.
I would have no problem with a high-level official (like a US Senator or President) to request a judicial review of someone's case if they felt it was in the public interest. But a pardon? No way.

tigger123

Sykk wrote: »

(CNN) -- In his last days in office, outgoing Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour pardoned four men convicted of murder, a state official said Monday.
David Gatlin, Joseph Ozment, Charles Hooker and Anthony McCray received full pardons and were released at 1 p.m. Sunday, said Suzanne Singletary, spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. All four were serving life sentences and worked as trusties at the governor's mansion, she said.
"It is at any governor's discretion," said Singletary.
Gatlin was convicted of murder, aggravated assault and burglary of a residence, she said. Ozment was convicted of murder, conspiracy and armed robbery in a separate case. Both inmates were at minimum security level, she said.
Hooker was convicted in a 1991 murder, while McCray was convicted in a 2001 murder, Singletary said. The governor also recently pardoned Nathan Kern, who was serving a life sentence for burglary, she said.
Families of the men's victims told CNN affiliates WAPT and WLBT they are outraged by Barbour's decision.
Attempts by CNN on Monday to reach Barbour's office for comment on the pardons were unsuccessful.
In 1993, WLBT reported, 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.
"Is Gov. Barbour going to pardon us from our aches and pains and heartache that we have to suffer?" the victim's mother, Betty Ellis, asked WLBT. "Is he going to pardon a child that had to grow up without a mother? Is he going to pardon me from never being able to feel her arms around my neck again? What is Barbour going to do about that?"
Tammy Gatlin's sister, Tiffany Ellis Brewer, said David Gatlin served less time than her sister lived.
"It's completely unfair," she said. "I mean, he's in jail for 18 years. She was 20 years old when she died and had her child laying in her arms when he shot her in the head. And he's pardoned?"
David Ruth, who was the lead investigator on the case, said there was an apparent communications foul-up. Tammy Gatlin's relatives received a letter from the state parole board Friday saying David Gatlin was not going to be paroled and would next be considered in October 2012. They received a call the next day saying he was being pardoned, Ruth told WLBT.
Meanwhile, the family of Ricky Montgomery told WAPT they received a call from the department on Saturday reporting Ozment's pardon. Montgomery, 33, was a store clerk who was slain on the job. Ozment was convicted of his murder.
"Of course it's devastating," said Mark McAbee, Montgomery's nephew. "You know, we go through this and it's reliving it over and over again, when I don't think the general public has any idea of the things these convicts are doing."
McAbee said his mother was incredulous two years ago to learn Ozment had been assigned to work at the governor's mansion. She wrote the Department of Corrections, he said, which told her that he met the requirements and underwent a screening process.
"We have people out on the streets that are sex offenders that have to register," McAbbe said. "This is a man (who) killed somebody. This man took somebody's life, and it's not going to indicate that on any paperwork."
Phil Bryant, Barbour's successor, is set to be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Tl;dr: see title.

This is outrageous. No reason behind it, so far...

I thought only the president has the power to grant a pardon...? Should a Governor have the power to pardon murderers/rapists etc?

tldr your own post?!

WTF?!

MrStuffins

"Pah, so you think you're all so smart not voting me back in eh?? Well we'll see about that.

Smithers............... release the murderers!!"

Chuck Stone

Sykk wrote: »

The governor also recently pardoned Nathan Kern, who was serving a life sentence for burglary

WTF?

ejmaztec

Chuck Stone wrote: »

WTF?

He probably burgled people's houses and stole their heads.

dilallio

Chuck Stone wrote: »

WTF?

Under the 3 strike-rule, 3rd felony conviction = life imprisonment

Ray Palmer

Chuck Stone wrote: »

WTF?

The 3 strikes rule in the US is one of the most unfair systems in the world. Look at happened to Arther Lee

Most likely why the sentence was so long. There are people in the US serving 25+ year for poccession of hash. We aren't talking about mass quantities either.

AngryPensioner

seamus wrote: »

I never understood this logic behind the power to grant pardons. Why would an elected public official be qualified to decide that someone should be released from prison?

It's probably a throwback to regal times when a king was effectively infallible and therefore had the power to issue pardons.
I would have no problem with a high-level official (like a US Senator or President) to request a judicial review of someone's case if they felt it was in the public interest. But a pardon? No way.

Cos the Governor Acts as a sort of president for the state? USA is a Federal Republic not a Democracy. Why would president be responsible for state level issues? Unless FBI is involved crimes are always local level.

Sykk

MIN2511 wrote: »

We are NOT in America!

I didn't know boards discussion had to be directly related to Ireland.. My bad.. :rolleyes:

AngryPensioner

The peoples that are angry over this need to take some political history 101 lessons:P

Sykk

AngryPensioner wrote: »

The peoples that are angry over this need to take some political history 101 lessons:P

Welcome to the forum... You're cute