Posted on 01/09/2012 6:18:11 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
(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?"
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I think if you pardon somebody, they have to move in with you for one-month afterwards.
What sort of LIFETIME pension will the Guvnah receive upon leaving office? With the right kind of golden parachute he can flip the bird to everybody!
The article says 4 men were pardoned, you have listed 5 men.
It's bad that this gentleman could not control his temper but I guess it's only human when you come to your wife's home to talk about your failing marriage and fined her in the sack with someone that is supposed to be your friend and then see your baby lying in the bed witnessing the carnal act. I would have to say that it would be hard not to invoke a little 230 gr .45 cal justice of my own if I wore this man's shoes that fateful day.
There are always two sides to every story.
I hope Haley’s wife has a bug-out plan.
Okay, that clears it up.
damn Haley...wish I’d known you wuz hiring at the mansion for pardons cuz!
*sigh*
LOL!
You’re a mess. ;o)
It’s good to see you!
I bet Marsha will stay in Missippy.
“and worked as trusties at the governor’s mansion”
I wonder if they didn’t end up stumbling on a certain closet while they were performing their duties. You know - the one with all of the skeletons in it?
Seriously, I bet they found something out and threatened to expose it.
Opps - I need to read all the replies before I post (see #33).
But you think this is bad - just think what it will be like when Obama leaves office. (And we thought Clinton was bad!).
Sounds like the: don’t get caught with a live boy or a dead girl in the bed syndrome!!!
I doubt it.
Barbour is smart enough to know that pardoning them won’t keep mouths shut, at least not for very long.
Dirt on potential ‘Pubbie candidates is worth a lot of money and after 10-20 years in the clink, they’ll sell it in a heartbeat no matter what they promised when they were pardoned.
Serious question to you WKB. What if he had pardoned every single convicted criminal in the entire state?
He damn near did!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2831264/posts
http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-miss-gov-barbour-pardons-4-killers-214231800.html
“Sounds like the: don’t get caught with a live boy or a dead girl in the bed syndrome!!!”
Color me disappointed.
He IS the Establishment, after all. :o(
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