Lawmaker wants to strip governor's pardon power (Mississippi)

Sun Herald ^ | July 26, 2008 | By KAREN NELSON

[Islander7]

PASCAGOULA -- Brandon Jones was 12 when Adrienne Klasky Graham's ex-husband gunned her down at a busy intersection in Pascagoula, but he remembers it and the effect it had on his community.

His sister went to school with one of Adrienne's young sons. People he knew talked about it.

"All of us living in Pascagoula in 1989 remember that day," said Jones, now a young attorney representing Pascagoula in the Legislature. "And to know that someone can shoot someone in the plain light of day and walk free less than 20 years later. The governor's action has broken open a lot of old wounds and it offends the community's sense of justice and safety."

RELATED:

THE MURDER OF ADRIENNE GRAHAM

http://www.sunherald.com/278/story/707506.html

[Islander7]

Gov. Haley Barbour freed her killer, Michael David Graham, who was convicted of murder in 1989 and received a life sentence. Barbour suspended his sentence last week and released him from the prison system with restrictions much like those of a parolee. Graham had served more than four years as a trusty doing custodial work at the Governor's Mansion and before that had a record of hard work and good behavior.

[DJ MacWoW]

The newsie should know that's "trustee" not "trusty".

And apparently to get away with murder, you only have to befriend the Governor.

[pnh102]

Gov. Haley Barbour freed her killer, Michael David Graham, who was convicted of murder in 1989 and received a life sentence.

Why do alleged conservative governors continue to act like Mike Dukakis? This sort of thing should be a no-brainer!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Barbour has been and is considered a long-term national leader. I wonder what other pressures may have been in action behind the scenes.

The swift and sure punishment by death penalty would have resolved this a couple million dollars cheaper fifteen years ago.

[drjimmy]

The newsie should know that's "trustee" not "trusty".

Nope. "Trusty" is the correct spelling. Look it up in a dictionary. But your second point is right on.

[libertylover]

What p***-poor journalism! One concludes from the headline that the Governor pardoned someone previously convicted of murder. Not until the 4th paragraph is this confirmed, and even then it's wrong. He didn't pardon the guy, he released him.

And nowhere does it give the Governor's reasoning for this action other than the guy was a “trusty” at the Governor's Mansion. Was the evidence shoddy? Did a witness recant his testimony? What?

[Islander7]

“....Was the evidence shoddy? Did a witness recant his testimony? What?...”

The guy murdered his wife with dozens of witnesses present.

I can not for the life of me understand how The Gov can justify his actions in this case.

[vetvetdoug]

The Governor just released him...didn’t pardon the killer. The killer still has to report to probation and behave and if he screws up one iota he will return to prison. Its not like Barbour was Clinton or Ray Blanton and gave complete pardons to killers.

[NoCmpromiz]

Nope. "Trusty" is the correct spelling. Look it up in a dictionary.

Maybe DJ didn't have to check the dictionary... See for yourself:

Webster says...

[drjimmy]

Maybe DJ didn't have to check the dictionary... See for yourself:

Nope again. Using your own link to Webster's, click on the word "Trusty," which is given as the third definition of "Trustee." It will say there are two entries found, one for the adjective and one for the noun. Click on the noun, and it will take you to the definition for the noun "Trusty," which states: "A trusty or trusted person; specifically : a convict considered trustworthy and allowed special privileges."

[NoCmpromiz]

Nope again

OK... short version is that both can be correct.

The noun form that means a person in a position of trust is 'trustee'. A 'trustee' is a person who is trusty, the adjective. Note that the noun-form of 'trusty' is the less favored usage.

In many prisons and county jails at least in the Northeast, such a person, who is a prisoner deemed trusty, is called a "trustee" and in some institutions their uniform so states, with that spelling. Possibly in the South and/or other parts of the country, they use the noun form of trusty to describe the same type of person..

If there are any lexicographers in the room, it might be interesting to see if they know when 'trusty' became a noun, but that is something I'll pursue some other time (not having the unabridged version of Webster's handy). It might also be interesting to see which form is used where, but that can wait also.

But thanks for pointing that out since I was not familiar with the noun form of the adjective, not having run into that usage before...

[drjimmy]

The noun form that means a person in a position of trust is 'trustee'. A 'trustee' is a person who is trusty, the adjective. Note that the noun-form of 'trusty' is the less favored usage.

The listing of the adjective form of "trusty" by Webster's prior to the noun form is not because the noun is less favored; it is simply because it came into use in that form earlier. Additionally, you will note that the word "trustee" does not in fact give as a definition anything to do with a person holding a position of trust in a prison. It simply links to the word "trusty," where such a definition is provided. This is because some people think the word for a person in a prison is spelled "trustee," and the dictionary is helpful in directing you to the correct spelling. If you look up the word "trusty" directly, you will see that it does not give you a link to the word "trustee."

[DJ MacWoW]

Sorry but in the northeast all the prison TRUSTEES have TRUSTEE in big letters on their jumpsuits.

Additionally, you will note that the word "trustee" does not in fact give as a definition anything to do with a person holding a position of trust in a prison.

Doesn't it?

Trustee is also a term used for a prison inmate who has special work-related privileges, usually as a result of good behavior.

Google references to "Trustees"

Answers.com

[drjimmy]

Doesn't it?

No, it doesn't. Below are the three definitions for the word "trustee" in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary that NoCmpromiz provided the link to:
1 a: one to whom something is entrusted b: a country charged with the supervision of a trust territory
2 a: a natural or legal person to whom property is legally committed to be administered for the benefit of a beneficiary (as a person or a charitable organization) b: one (as a corporate director) occupying a position of trust and performing functions comparable to those of a trustee
3: trusty

As I had pointed out, the third definition simply links to the word "trusty" elsewhere in the dictionary, where it is defined as "a trusty or trusted person; specifically : a convict considered trustworthy and allowed special privileges"

Trustee is also a term used for a prison inmate who has special work-related privileges, usually as a result of good behavior.
If you want to trust (no pun intended) Wikipedia as a source, you should also read the Wikipedia entry for "trusty."

Google references to "Trustees"
There are 548,000 results returned for your Google search of the phrase "define prison trustee." However, using the phrase "define prison trusty" gives 7,160,000 results. I think that pretty much shows which spelling of the word is used more in this context.

Answers.com
Thanks for providing this link to the definition of "trusty," which completely supports my position.

So let's go back to your original posting, which was: "The newsie should know that's 'trustee' not 'trusty'." I think the dictionary, Google, Answers.com, etc., pretty much prove that the "newsie" knew what he was talking about.

[DJ MacWoW]

Thanks for providing this link to the definition of "trusty," which completely supports my position.

No. It doesn't. It says n., pl. -ies.. That would be Noun, plural, as in "trusties".

You don't like Wikipedia, how about Conservapedia?

The Prison Trustee - Joseph

The thing is, you just can't accept that "Trustee" is correct the usage in the northeast. You'll just have to deal with it.

[drjimmy]

No. It doesn't. It says n., pl. -ies.. That would be Noun, plural, as in "trusties".

You need to learn how to read a dictionary. You provided a link to the word "trusty" at Answers.com. First it shows the definition of the adjective form of the word, and indicates the ways it can be modified ( -i·er, -i·est). Then it shows the definition of the noun form of the word, and indicates how the plural is spelled (-ies). What part of the definition of a trusty as "A convict regarded as worthy of trust and therefore granted special privileges" do you not understand?

You don't like Wikipedia, how about Conservapedia? The Prison Trustee - Joseph
I didn't say I didn't like Wikipedia. Since you brought it up, I just suggested you look up the word "trusty" there. The Wikipedia definition of "trusty" is: "A trusted person, especially a prisoner who has been granted special privileges."

Checking a couple of additonal reference works, here is what The Columbia Guide to Standard American English has to say: "A trustee (pronounced truhs-TEE) is someone appointed to manage the property of others or a member of a board charged with such a task. A trusty (pronounced TRUHS-tee or truhs-TEE) is a convict given special privileges and duties because he or she is considered trustworthy."

And here is what the Associated Press Stylebook has to say: "A trusty is a prison inmate granted special privileges as a trustworthy person."

The thing is, you just can't accept that "Trustee" is correct the usage in the northeast. You'll just have to deal with it.
The thing is, you were incorrect to claim that the "newsie" didn't know what he was talking about. Since the original article was from and about Mississippi, how folks in the Northeast spell the word doesn't mean squat. You've got Conservapedia in your corner, while the newsie has every major reference work in his. Deal with it.

[DJ MacWoW]

while the newsie has every major reference work in his.

And that is an untruth.

Actually, you were told in the beginning that the north used "Trustee" while the south used "Trusty" and wouldn't accept it. Would you now say that that does appear to be the case?

[drjimmy]

And that is an untruth.
So, which major reference works don't have the word "trusty" defined the way the newsie used it?

Actually, you were told in the beginning that the north used "Trustee" while the south used "Trusty" and wouldn't accept it. Would you now say that that does appear to be the case?
Now you're just being ridiculous. In the actual beginning, you claimed that "The newsie should know that's 'trustee' not 'trusty'." I pointed out that the newsie was correct, and everything from Webster's to the AP Stylebook to Wikipedia to the Columbia Guide to Standard American English backs him up. I have no problem accepting that different parts the country have different ways of using words. What you just can't seem to accept is that your original post was wrong.

[DJ MacWoW]

In the actual beginning, you claimed that "The newsie should know that's 'trustee' not 'trusty'."

Not being a southerner, I wouldn't know they use an adjective as a noun.

I have no problem accepting that different parts the country have different ways of using words

Actually, you argued with NoCmpromiz in post 13 that "Trustee" is never used......some people think the word for a person in a prison is spelled "trustee," .

My neck is not too stiff to admit I just learned they use "trusty" in the south.