Posted on 01/14/2012 3:27:06 AM PST by KantianBurke
Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Friday he's "very comfortable" with his decision to grant pardons or other clemency to more than 200 people, including convicted killers, in his last days in office, telling Fox News that Mississippi is predominantly Christian and believes in forgiveness.
The pardons have set off outrage among some victims' families and prompted a judge to block the release of some of the pardoned inmates out of concern that proper notification rules were not followed.
Barbour told Fox News that any problem with paperwork was an accident on the part of corrections officials, who needed to send the notices out earlier to get them published in newspapers on time. But he defended the pardons.
"I understand and recognize that these families had love ones who were the victims of terrible crimes ... and I sympathize with the fact that this hurts them, that they lost somebody like that and that they're not going to forget it and they want vengance," Barbour said on Fox News' "Special Report."
"But what the state does and has done ... most people in Mississippi are Christians or profess to be Christians, and we believe in forgiveness and we believe in second chances," he said.
Barbour told the Associated Press in an earlier interview that it's a tradition in Mississippi for governors to free the trusties who worked at the Governor's Mansion. Four inmates freed this past weekend are convicted killers who worked as trusties.
And the former governor said he's not concerned that the freed trusties might harm anyone. "I have absolute confidence, so much confidence, that I'd let my grandchildren play with these five men," the Republican said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
There were two really weird things which happened this week.
Barbour’s “pardon” thing.
And Bolton’s endorsement of Romney. Really makes me wonder about both of them...
What a weak-kneed, hypocrite! And to think that there was a strong contingent on this board promoting ‘Barbour for Prez’ this time last year.
Deja vu all over again. Isn’t this what helped sink Huck?
What is it about these evangelical governors?
Sunspot activity?
Full Moon?
It is nobody’s right to forgive offenses that didn’t happen to them. If you punched my brother, I don’t have the right to forgive you outside of the actual offense to me.
It’s a question of ownership.
I blame Karl Rove.
Just on general principle.
They are biblical ignorant. God said to send back to Him those that commit homicide. He gave NO authority to flesh beings to pass out get out of jail second chances pardons to killers.
Easy to speak and act when it is not your family, shame on you!
Shades of huckster. What cop and/or individual will pay the price for this dumb move.
He’s defending the indefensible. I can’t imagine what those families feel like. I’d be furious.
I’m hoping these thugs don’t kill anyone
Frankly, he was ill-advised, and it makes you wonder how he got to where he is in life. When you issue pardons....you need to personally get involved and actually talk to people beyond just your cousin or your chief of staff.
Barbour could have forgiven them without setting them loose on society again.
I’ve said it before, but if I were wealthy, I’d buy houses next to the grandchildren of officials and judges who let out these monsters and let them stay next to THEIR relatives.
bookmark
Since when does personal forgivness equal not holding people legally responsible for their heinous acts?
And does he have the right to forgive on behalf of the victim’s and their families?
How does all this stuff work?
This is a perfect example of what happens when you get senile.
Barbour came out strong for Romney too, right? Wonder how much he got.
Let’s face it folks...a Romney president is going to be indebted to a lot of people.... a lot of people.
I have never understood the logic of giving governors the right to pardon criminals. Unless new evidence emerges casting doubt on their conviction there should be no pardons by anyone!!
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