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Subscribe to RSSFormer Mississippi governor Gov. Haley Barbour's pardons may have violated the state constitution. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
Tiffany Ellis Brewer says she refuses to live in fear since learning of the release of a man who gunned down her sister in 1993, fatally shooting his 20-year-old estranged wife in the head while her baby slept nearby.
“I want answers,” Brewer, from Pearl, Miss., told msnbc.com on Thursday. “I will not stop until I get them because something is seriously wrong with our system. No one saw this coming and the governor needs to answer for this.”
In his last act in office, former Gov. Haley Barbour granted more than 200 pardons, clemency or early release for people convicted of crimes including murder, rape and armed robbery. Most of those people were already out of prison.
Among the convicted killers to be freed: David Glenn Gatlin -- the man who admitted to fatally shooting Brewer's sister, Tammy, and wounding her friend, Randy Walker, in July 1993.
"We were never notified that any of this was happening," Brewer said. "The last thing we heard was that Randy received a call saying that [Gatlin] had been denied parole. Next thing we know, he's released on Sunday. Now, we have no idea where he is."
Gatlin and three other inmates had worked at the governor's mansion doing odd jobs under a program that rewarded good behavior.
In an interview with The Associated Press in 2008, Barbour said releasing trusties who served at the governor's mansion was a tradition in Mississippi.
The last-minute act, however, has incensed some people in Mississippi.
“The events since the news broke is having a tearing-down effect on victim's families," said David Ruth, the lead investigator in the Brewer case. "They have to retell their story every time, and I know news is news, but we also have to protect them. My hope is that [Gatlin] does not create any more problems for the family, because he has put them through enough."
'Demand answers'
State Attorney General Jim Hood on Wednesday claimed the pardons had violated the state Constitution. Hood told The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson that the law requires a legal notice of plans to pardon to be published 30 days prior to the action. He said his office couldn't find such a record.
Meanwhile, a Mississippi judge has temporarily blocked the release of the 21 inmates, scheduling a hearing on Jan. 23 in Hinds County Circuit Court.
Brewer plans to closely follow its developments.
"I implore all the victim's families to stand up and demand answers," Brewer said, "Mississippi has always had a stigma ... and our former governor has made that much worse."
Barbour released a statement Wednesday evening, saying "my decision about clemency was based upon the recommendation of the Parole Board in more than 90 percent of the cases."
Barbour said in the statement 189 of the people he pardoned or gave clemency to had already been freed.
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Leave a Comment:
This is the new society we live in. Yes, reward bad and horrendous behavior.
I don't even know if he is a republican or a democrat, and it doesn't really matter to me. I just know that when a governor decides to circumvent the system and do these kinds of things, it diminishes the whole legal system (or what's left of it). I put myself in the place of this family and would feel exactly as they do. Perhaps we need to STOP giving governors (and presidents) the power to do these last minute pardons before they leave office. It's become a practice that creates so much controversy, especially since they are out of office before they have to answer for the pardons they have granted. They have become way too much about granting political favors to well-heeled donors and well connected families than about righting injustices in the system.
He's bloated Repuke scum. To think that this creep wanted to be President is scary. Where do the right wingers find 'em?
At your house ??
Last time I read something like this was during the Mariel boat-lift from Cuba ( 79-80's ? ).
Castro intentionally released and mixed ex-prisoners and mentally deranged individuals, both male and female on the Cuban Exodus amongst the exiles heading to Peru and other countries.
My my!
I was saying the same thing to my wife when I saw a TV add that promised to help you pay only half of what was due if you owed the government back taxes. I pay my taxes every year - can I pay half?
Why is it that if you do everything right there is no incentive but if you kill someone you can clean the governor's mansion, get chummy, and get set free?
He is a Repulican. In fact, he is not only the former Governor, but also the former Chairman of the National Republican Party.
Unbelievable. I say throw this governor in Prison with all the scum and let them have at him. This is very disgusting.
Republicans are weak on crime, weak on national defense, weak on job creation, weak on the economy, weak on protecting the environment, weak on protecting the consumer and pathetic on foreign policy. But when it comes to finding the most ignorant and border line insane presidential candidates they shine like the sun.
My. My. All these righteous folks posting out here, without sin, and hurling them stones.
I'm very impressed with all the knowledge that everybody has about these incarcerated persons. Don't ever want to give anybody a second chance (unless he's running for office).
GreenTimer: Righteous, throwing stones, Well I have never murdered anyone in cold blood, have you. Second chances for murderers NO THANK YOU.
Greentimer, the convict in the news story shot two people. There went his second chance. He had no business working at the gov. mansion, especially if it's "tradition" that he'd be set free. Some embezzler or other non-violent criminal should have had the opportunity.
To the Sister of the Title - How does it feel to want???
Bluelake
funny how i could have sworn you were talking about the dems who had control over both houses for 4 yrs, and all 3 for 2, but some who, never did pass a tax bill, work for small buisness just big, and so on.... you realise Nobama the Clown has been in office for the past 3 yrs, and he IS a dem right? look who got all the tax incentives... look who got the shovel rdy jobs to nowhere, look who all got $$$ from OUR pockets, and tell me Nobama the Clown is such a great wonderful guy, thinking only of the "little people" who he wipes his feet on.... what really gets me, he dissed his own race to be buddies on wallstreet, lol, and people lap it up like good sheeple, that he is the best....best at tossing the nation into a hole so deep, there is no light.
Green Timer - Knowledge of the criminals in question doesn't excuse the former Governor from pardoning all of these people on his way out of office. If what he was doing was the right thing, he would have done it long before now and dealt with the backlash while still serving his term.
"Slaying victim's sister to Barbour: 'I want answers'"
Good luck with that! He doesn't have any answers. But, he will give you some sideways bullsh*t appeasement story.
You are just one of the "Little People" in BP speak, you don't matter!
This is a ridiculous and antiquated tradition and we the people need to be allowed to have input into this process. I can see granting pardons to people who have already served out their sentences, but this Governor went too far. To grant a pardon to someone who even the parole board has denied parole was an act that was both ignorant and arrogant. I don't know about the rest of the people he pardoned; but a man who can commit a cold-blooded murder, in front of his child, needs to be kept in prison for the rest of his life.
Mossdog- Blah, blah, blah, Fox, blah, Fox, blah, blah, Limbaugh, blah, blah, Fox, Fox, blah, Beck, blah, blah, Hannity, blah, Fox, blah, blah, ...and so on.
Bluelake--blah, blah, blah, MSNBC, blah, Olberman, blah, blah, Behar, blah, blah, Colmes, blah, blah, blah, CNN, blah, blah, O'Donnell, blah, blah....it works both ways, numbnuts.
Yeah, but my way is right and your way is wrong. It's simple enough. douche nozzle.
How does a rapist or murderer even become a trustee??? Good behavior is one thing but letting them go free and clear is crazy!
Bluelake, douche nozzle= What a democrat uses to clean him self up after he thinks he procreates with his same sex partner. Make sure and wash it after every use Bluelake. We do not need you transmitting anymore monkey butt viruses.
Doesn't matter that he's a republican. When Bill Clinton left office he pardoned a large number of people, many controversial. I am sure George Bush did the same thing, and the lord can only guess what Obama will do (pardon all death row inmates, perhaps, and give them all $100k for our inconveniencing them?!)
Bluelake
You are the Democrats answer to a Radical Republican. How does the hypocrisy taste?
I heard the Governors Mansion in Mississippi recently burned down. It almost took out the whole trailer park!
I have a hard time understanding why people would give a "thumbs up" useless and un-original comments like this. "No value" was invented for this type of statement.
I thought it was funny. Humor has value. Thinking we care what you think has value....now that has no value!
Right, Mac, trailer park jokes are ALWAYS hilarious ..... and so original too.
"Mac?" The 50's called.......you're due back at the malt shop.
It's called a joke dumbass, I swear this county has turned into a bunch of whiny hyper-critical wimps.
No, Joe ..... it's called a dumbass joke. The problem with the "joke" is that it's old and un-original and insults people who live in mobile homes more than it insults the governor. Does it make me a wimp to want something that is actually a little bit clever to make me laugh? Maybe if you were a little more critical you wouldn't be amused by the same old stuff over and over again.
I'm guessing 'ol Don has always been a whiny, hyper-critical wimp. No "turning" required.
Wow Don did your TRAILER get blown away in the twister? Call it what it is. Its not mobile it was brought in on a trailer. Go smoke some more Meth with the other trailer trash.
Now Donny, calm down and go turn back the odometer on your living room.
And change the oil winter is coming
And don't forget to turn off the headlights on your porch.
Personally I just read it as a slap to Mississippi's face. Honestly, for letting this happen and not rising up and dragging the now ex-governor out before his last day in office to be tried, or for not finding him after the fact (like NOW, Mississippi, NOW) and all X-millions of your Mississipians dragging him to be tried, well, you have this kind of comment coming. It makes us mad but we're just 1, and in a different state, gotta vent somehow, and nobody up top is listening so, vent away, just dont be bad.
Mc
Actually I don't live in a mobile home, but that does not mean I like to insult those who do.
and you make this comment to me as recycle your trailer park jokes from when????
Don't worry Don......a few more years of double shifts at the rendering plant and I'm sure you'll be able to afford a used single wide all your own. Actually, I made up the one about turning back the odometer on your living room......but feel free to use it should the need arise.
What's the difference between a Mississippi divorce and a tornado? Nothing! One way or the other someone's going to lose the trailer.
Q: What's the best pick-up line in Mississippi?
A: Nice tooth!
This whole thing is kinda creepy.
No, what's creepy is that so many rightwing posters here, MANY of whom have supported sending murders to death row and stiff sentences for violent criminals in the past, now DEFEND this nonsense because a republican did it.
Just how amoral can anybody get?
Nobody is defending this. This is not about any party affiliation. This is about politicians with too much power making horrible decisions in our names like they usually do.
This isn't just a Mississippi problem either. Criminals can travel just like the rest of us. One of them just might kill an innocent person next week in Colorado, Virginia, Washington, etc.
This is about a completely backwards system.
The time has come for violent people among us to get the sentences they deserve. If we don't have the space in our monstrous prison system to keep them, then the gov better damn well release the non violent pot smokers and dealers. I am getting sick and tired of this god forsaken crap.
hillbillys are creepy!
Mike I know. I get creeped out everytime I see Slick Willy and the Peanut Farmer.
Like most governors in a similar situation, Barbour was probably rewarding, in some way, campaign contributors or friends. Only this case was outrageous. Wonder if any non-white prisoners were pardoned or given clemency???
Yes, African-Americans were included. But what does that matter? It should not have happened.
The one I remember most is the pardons made by Bill Clinton.
Well, jimbov, now you don't have to reach so far back to remember such horrendous acts by a politician -- you can just pick up the newspaper and read what this governor did, YESTERDAY.
Jim, I live in Mississippi and this is the truth. He never informed the attorney general of the state about the mass pardons. Just a week ago, Barbour and his wife were returning to their Mississippi home in the country to retire and "rock on the front porch." Then the pardons are revealed, we learn that less than 24 hours from leaving office he is at a "paid speaking" engagement in Florida for a GOP fundraiser. Then we learn he will assume his part-owner position in Washington, D.C. with his lobbying corporation, known as the largest in the nation. Then at the same time, a huge Jackson, MS, law firm issuec a press release saying Barbour has joined their firm of dozens and dozens of Republican lawyers.
Now we can string it all together, that he will direct his lobbying activities through this law firm and for the corporations. In April, he secretly was a guest speaker in Virginia at a pow woe oil and natural gas CEOs. And the week before he left office he suddenly shows up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and announces he wants to open the Gulf of Mexico to endless oil rigs and platforms. Despite the fact BP's oil spill 18 months ago put thousands out of jobs, and we've had 200-plus dead dolphins wash ashore in 2011. Keep in mind during the Katrina aftermath Barbor hijacked $500 million of HUD funds and redirected it to expansion of the State Port in Gulfport, MS, claiming it will add jobs. They have filled in acres of water with chunks of concrete to form "land." Most insiders believe this expansion is more for a free shipping port for the oil companies. All paid by taxpayer money that was suppose to be for housing.
"Mississippi has always had a stigma"
gulfportian,
This guy is a repub. That is wonderful for the dems I guess. However, the real story among the issues that you brought up is that the people need to reclaim this country.
Term limits for all politicians.
No campaign contributions (i.e. bribes) allowed.
All campaigning should be debate type events televised on CSPAN and other public channels as well as on any networks that may choose to cover said PUBLIC events.
Essentially, we must remove as much incentive as possible for politicians to become corrupt, which is practically inevitable based on the huge sums of money we dealing with.
I won't try to defend Barber's actions ..... in fact I don't agree with much of anything the governor believes. However, his job is not to seek revenge for the families of victims. His job is to act in accordance with the law and with the best interests of the citizens of Mississippi, and on those criteria his job performance should be judged.
And how exactly is the best interests of the citizens of Mississippi served by allowing murderers, robbers, and rapists out of prison early?
His JOB is to RIGHT a WRONG. Ill wait for you to tell us all how doling out pardons to murderers RIGHTS A WRONG.
Larry and Steve
Read what I said first:
And I didn't. I only said that revenge for the victims families should not be a factor in the governor's decision. That really is what the article was about. If the pardoned criminals should not have been released based on the interests of the citizens of the state, the governor was wrong. If the governor did not act in accordance with the law he was wrong. I made no judgement on those issues.
OK, don--based on his actions within the law and with the best interests of the citizens of Mississippi in mind--how do you think he's done?
And how exactly is this REVENGE, these people were LEGALLY convicted, at least ONE of the murderers FREELY admitted doing the crime and their sentences were NOT out of line with sentences handed out in other states.
Your rather sad argument is little more than a very sad and pathetic apology for an atrocious act of injustice, I assume made simply because the author is a republican.
And to think this idiot had the balls to toy about running for president. I hope his career is dead. Another example of how stupid our politicians are.
His career as an elected offical is done BUT he will be like our friend Gringich, he will lobby and give speeches and get richer and richer. Stinks.
Good for Haley I know him..and he is a good and kind man. Much smarter than those in this posting area. Now I wont call any of you stupid but you know who you are.
Stupid? Go look in the mirror.
We know one thing; We're not you.
And for that we'll be eternally grateful.
Did you read the article John Doe?
Just because he did good work at the governers mansion and was a model inmate doesn't offset his life plus 30 years sentence for executing an innocent woman.
Signing any clemancy pettition dropped on your desk is STUPID
You may know him as a "good and kind man", but by releasing some of these individuals, specifically ones who have committed extremely violent crimes, he has also shown himself to be a thoughtless man. This decision, and the lack of consultations with the victims and their families, clearly shows a lack of care for the current and future victims of these murderers. I don't know about ALL of his pardons, but the most controversial ones, murder and rape, seem impossible to defend.
Sure they won't commit another murder or rape? Ask Mike Huckabee about Maurice Clemmons or Wayne DuMond. Better yet, ask the families of the police officers Maurice Clemmons gunned down in cold blood or the the victims/family of Wayne DuMond's victims.
I don't know Govenor Haley, and he maybe a good man but how can you legitimatey allow rapist,and murderers free, without notifying victims or victims families.
Just wait until Romney gets it!
Now you why Haley did not run!
Huh?
MMMMM........creepy looking, morally bankrupt, quite likley insane.....how the heck did Barbour stay out of the Republican Presidential field?
There were too mant good candidates. He knew he didn't stand a chance.
He's being groomed to be the next Arlen Specter--his next job will be to replace Goofy Joe Biden as VP.
"Barbour said in the statement 189 of the people he pardoned or gave clemency to had already been freed."
And the others were still sitting in prison serving time for crimes against the people of the state of Mississippi.
In 1887 Lord Acton wrote to Bishop Mandell Creighton that "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Is it time to re-think the powers of the Governors Office? None of them should have been pardoned without the approval of the Parole Board of the State of Mississippi and the victims of their crimes!
Don't worry. I'm sure most of them will be back in prison in a very short time. Of course, they'll have a whole new set of victims, but hey, at least they'll be behind bars again where they belong...
first of all What the hell is good behavior??? Any punk can be good when in prison and working in the Gov Mansion sounds like slavery to me. and yes they end up back in prison but someone will be hurt or killed for that to happen. Prisoners have tooooooooooooo many rights
You'll never get answers. By design these Governors do this as they are walking out the door, just so they don't have to answer to anyone.
This is absolutely wrong. These people had criminal records because they were.........CRIMINALS! For Barbour to step in and restore all their rights and freedoms after committing murder, rape and other offenses is unconscionable and unfathomable. I hope all of these pardons can somehow be reversed. I grew up in MS and have seen ridiculous things done by the power brokers there, but this one takes the cake.
He says he was trying to save the state money. Nice approach. He could have just closed down all the public schools. Oh wait, that's for the next Governor.
Hey probably these guys are the very same people that voted against the democrats because they thought they are just a bunch of vile socialist who are soft on crime. Don't complain please.
So the Criminal Justice system plays out, hundreds of thousands are spent to bring these creeps to trial and convict them. All alleged experts in their field prepare and testify and the juries and/or judge weigh the evidence and decide.
Then years later, based on no evidence whatsoever, a clueless politician says "You're all wrong. He's free now".
Anybody see a problem with that as protocal ?
I demand answers.
I demand the ex-governor inform the federal government, publicly, why he specifically allowed apparently at least one murderer to walk for doing 'odd jobs' around the Governor's Mansion. If all people have to do is 'odd jobs' to get away with murder, then we'd have a heck of a lot more murders. And then when his answer is either a run-around or is not an answer and contains no information about the topic of question, I will demand that he be charged, fully.
Uh... So you do realize that these are not federal crimes these people committed, I hope? It sure doesn't sound like it. A governor cannot commute the sentence of a federal prisoner.
John Doe your name suits you perfectly, youre not in the world of the living with that bs..
We first tarted our for 8 years in a "trailer parl." We now have a cottage, a home, and 2 cars, and all kinds of fun toys paid for with cash and damn hard work.
Wow Tom, Good for you. Can you save up some money and put an ad in the Thrifty Nickle for a tutor?
Not defending his pardons, but a governor is not required to get the victims' family's permission. And yes we are going to find out that necessary newspaper were issued
Seems like Mississippi needs to get out of the Civil War era of "traditions" that are barbaric or have barbaric results. Essentially, he's saying that they have a tradition of pardoning self-confessed convicted first degree murderers.
No one person should ever have the power to pardon anyone. There should be a minimum of three or more people involved like most Parole Boards. This is not this has happened but should be the last.
hey john doe if you know haley that well and agree with him than you may be no different than he is. what did he pardon you and this is why you agree with this? i wonder how you would feel if a family member of yours was killed in cold blood and that person was pardon. guess you would be ok with that no. come on people this was wrong and everyone knows it let us not be so naive.
Just because someone is released from prison already doesn't mean pardoning or clemency isn't a significant act. Wiping someone's record of a violent criminal offense is still a very, very big deal, in my opinion.
Bad Karma to this Fat Ash for the rest of his life. This why All politicians should get ONE year in office and then thrown out with NO pension. The people in Mississippi are going to support this guy for the rest of his life now. Bet that make's them feel good.
As a man the ex Governor owes it to the families of the victims to sit down with them and hear them out. Even though I believe he had to be wrong on some at least I am not saying he needs to do something to change the outcome but he does need to explain in private and to give them the chance to vent. Of course he may not be a man just an idiot.
Does anyone know the story behind the 'murderer' that's highlighted in this article?
Doesn't sound like he was a 'murderer' at all....he shot his wife because she was fooling around on him behind the shed. He straight up admitted to killing her and probably would of killed her 'friend' if he was a better shot. It was a crime of passion yet they paint him as some cold-blooded killer.
Who knows, maybe if we all knew the full stories behind each of the pardons, we'd be like "oh ya, that guy shouldn't be in jail"?
It doesn't matter if she was fooling around with the entire navy! He KILLED a woman. Divorce her, yes, but nobody has the right to murder anybody. An act of passion or heat of the moment is an extenuating circumstance. The lady was not his property, she was his wife, that means they agreed to a partnership. If that was the only response he could come up with in the heat of the moment then he probably has some serious problems to begin with. Just about everybody has been in such a situation before when it comes that, yet the vast majority of us have never murdered anybody, regardless of how p.o.'d we were at the time. I've put my fist through a wall when I found I'd been cheated on, but I never even thought of blowing his head off--either of them if you get my meaning.
I would have to agree, you definitely seem to be UNknowing.
Gary, I'm not going to rip you up one side and down the other, though every fiber in me wants to, because you made your point well and civilly. I just don't agree with it.
EVERY killing is "a crime of passion". My former spouse had sexual relations with five men. IN FOUR HOURS. At the time I owned an impressive collection of guns, most WWII or earlier military collectables, but a few modern arms. I never for a moment considered taking one out, loading it, aiming at her, or pulling the trigger. I was in emotional AGONY...so I walked out.
This tradition of pardoning convicted criminals either needs to be stopped all together or reevaluated. Enact legislation that would only allow pardoning non-violent felons. I would love to say pardon none at all but, quite frankly, and rather sadly, in this society we need the prison beds.
M, You should of put up a video camera. You could have made some money. She must of been one wet monkey.
CombatMedic, if you define "wet" as oozing puss from her nether regions, yeah, guess she was. Sadly, ten years later I have yet to find the humor in it. Stick to the subject and bash some politicians with us, will ya? Sheesh!
Its a tradition to pardon inmates who serve as trusties at the governors mansion. Really? And no one has figured out that the criminals know this too? A talented sociopath can spend years cultivating staff to believe he will behave himself in order to get into this kind of position. Since it is "tradition" I wouldn't be surprised to find out that Barbour didn't even know the details of the crimes.
This, Gov. Barbour, is what is known as "stepping in it."