Absolutely a genuine act of fools and foolish law! Giving pardons to deserving inmates at the end of a governor's tenure isn't a bad act. It's a sign of leniency to deserving prison patrons. What you DON'T DO, is hand out pardons to murderers! Are they idiots? There are others such as the one last inmate listed, who had performed a robbery, or their are blue collar criminals that have received lengthy sentences depending on their crimes. You don't let someone out who is obviously a threat to the populace. Its like saying, oh its okay. You killed someone, but that's alright because you did really good work mowing my lawn. You smiled allot, did what you were ordered to do, shot the @!$%# well and slaved just fine boy! Here's your free ticket and @!$%# the families of the victims you killed. There's justice for you, Mississippi style!

Our system of totally lacking responsibility in holding political leaders responsible for their actions, words or ethics is lame and impudent. It merely opens the door for them to do whatever they want, whenever they want and how they want too, with out having to answer for it.

It's like Nixon when he commented in his infamous news interview "I'm the god damn President! Nothing I have done or will ever do is illegal!

What do you expect? You elect a Republican crook and they will be more than happy to pardon people they IDENTIFY WITH and feel are just like them.

Let me guess, he's "pro-life".

According to the article, the pardoning of murderers has been going on for decades and by BOTH PARTIES.

Your rants should be against ANY GOVERNOR of EITHER PARTY who has pardoned murderers.

Today it was a Republican that pardoned murderers, so today we rant against him.

wonder what dirt the guys working at his mansion dug up to black mail him with?

Brian - maybe Gov had some "Larry Craig", wide-stance moments?

Where are the pardons for the innocents convicted, The people who have been cheated by the justice system? No, no, lets save the worst and let the innocent rot.

@Brian,

Maybe it's the other way around... Now this guy has 4 killers potentially in his back pocket for whatever life may throw at him next.

hdrider, the article stated that the pardons have been going on by both parties - not the pardoning of murderers. No matter how you cut it - this is injustice. How can a cold-blooded murderer even get a job in the governor's mansion. You would think those positions would go to small crimes people. Ones who haven't murdered. I guess that's called job creation. Why not have people who are out of work and struggling honestly to support their families work and live at the mansion.

What happens when one of these men goes out and murders someone else? Will Governor Barbour just say "Well its a long standing tradition i had to"

Or is the pardon the game show prize for working in his mansion and not killing him? There is so much wrong with this picture....

it did say other pardons have gone to muderers, by both parties. If you insist on being partisan try to at least be accurate. Guess that's what they call an oximoron.

What you DON'T DO, is hand out pardons to murderers! Are they idiots? There are others such as the one last inmate listed, who had performed a robbery, or their are blue collar criminals that have received lengthy sentences depending on their crimes. You don't let someone out who is obviously a threat to the populace.

Thats great. Whats next for the Repubs?Are they crazy? Yes. Criminally insane.

We have the biggest fraud in the history of the world. The SEC is a failed institution. This makes that fraud look not so bad. Now murders?

WOW!!!

Talk about the ultimate work-study program! Just wash the cars and at the same time you can wash away the blood from your hands, after shooting two people including your wife in the head.

Amazing.

Absolutely insane! At least clinton only pardoned the dude who was living out of the country because of fraud after the guys wife had an overnight visit to "request" the pardon. Sleazy deal but the guy wasn't a MURDERER!!!!

At least he can't be accused of 'racism', since all of the murderers were apparently Black men. Why would he use murderers at the Governor's mansion?

"unbelievable"?? Not really. Welcome to Mississippi politics.

And previous posters are right--this has been going on--not only in Miss. but numerous other states as well--by both parties for as long as executive privilege has existed. We need a federal statute that limits the power of governors to pardon violent criminals without review/consent of at least the state parole boards. This was a complete travesty.

Wake up. This has been around for years. Both sides do this.

I have gone from being a fan to complete contempt for Haley Barbour,and I hope this is the last time I ever hear his name this is TOTALLY SHAMEFUL!

Dear Haley Barbour,

You are a piece of @!$%# and a pathetic human being.

Regards,
Shosyn

And Haley Barbour is considered a rising star in the Republican Party??? That star has now fallen.

Wake up. This has been around for years. Both sides do this.

Why tell someone who's just learning of something to "wake up" to it? That's sort of like telling someone to take a bath when they just stepped into the shower. Instead of harping on how slow people are to catch on, why not pick on the politicians who've made this a precedent?

I think it's poetic that this article about murderers being pardoned was posted just 2 links above the story about the paroled convicted murderer who just recently murdered more people before killing himself. They need to stop this policy before something like this come backs to haunt them (and the families of the victims who were murdered).

Not too bright. I wonder what Haley is going to do next. Is he just retiring?

I hope he's not going into social work.

Last Night at I Sat On the back Patio to smoke me a cigarette and to find some calm from an entrapped feeling that I experienced throughout the day.
The entire day I sat around and thought of all of the road blocks preventing the common man around the world from living a peaceful life.
I also thought about all that surrounds us in nature and the abuse that it takes from these same foundations.

All of a sudden, I came to the conclusion that there was no hope.
All of the accolades earned by individuals who sought to make a difference in the world could not be weighed against the many evils that I saw stemming from these foundations.

I again re-enforced my first thought by thinking of just how difficult it is even to have a family today without having chunks taken out of you by these foundations.
I then said to myself, and it hurts to say this after such a long fight and strugle to make things better, more fair and spread harmony for all of us and that which surrounds us.
"I GIVE UP...... I QUIT!!! WHY FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND FAIR WHEN YOU'RE A SPECK OF DIRT UP AGAINST A FORCE LIKE GIGANTORE AND HIS MANY ARMS AND HIPNOTIC WAYS.
YEAP, I QUIT!!!!!"

AS I Put My Cigarette Out, another thought crossed my mind. I wanted to quit many other times and yet I didn't but, this time I Meant it."
I begin to get up but then I Thought, "No It's time for HOPE to GET Up and if it DOES, I will RISE along side of it. "If not I'm going to sit my A$$ here and soak in this sorrow!!!!!"

All of a sudden behind the shadow of the home behind me, I could see light coming from what I knew was the moon but, could not see.

Then, in the matter of 10 to 15 Seconds, the moon began to rise from behind the shadow of the home and revealed it's full appearance to me as if answering my CALL with precision!!!!

At that moment I knew that there will be a higher power that intervenes in order for harmony to be accomplished.

This was probably the most coincidental thing that has ever happened in my life and it happened last night.

Hopefully now I have a newly gained confidence about our future.

Good for you. May peace find you in the coming year and beyond.

Party politics aside, in Arkansas, our Govs do the same thing, but generally not a murderer. THat is until Mike Huckleberry did exactly what Barbor did to his trustees... and they were murderers. In fact Hucklberry also released a serial rapist because he had "found God". Well, he found God enough to travel to MO and raped and killed a woman. Just when you think some politicians are as dumb as you can get.. they surprise you.... Barbour is a red neck ass#$%& with an ego the size of his sorry state.

Unreal. This guy believes life begins at conception and would consider that murder, but then he pardons people that have committed VIOLENT acts of murder. Who can support this party when everything they do serves their own self-interest?

Peel-Layer

Thanks for sharing your experience.

We need more hope, not more divisions and stress.

Roy Wilson you are a LIAR! All the convicts were White Men Not Black Men!

"sentenced to life in prison in the 1993 slaying"

That was an error in the first place. Mississippi has capital punishment on the books, so the law had to be applied correctly back then.

"Now he could live beside us, or we could run into him at Wal-Mart. You're always looking over your shoulder."

Afraid? Get yourself a gun. Mississippi is a "shall issue" state.

That'sF'inCrazy-

At the risk of igniting a flame-war, do you agree with Gov. Barbour's actions in these cases? If not, your surprise and obvious anger would seem better directed at the governor. If you do agree with the governor's actions, it would seem that what I have taken for law-and-order conservatism has been redefined when four convicted killers get pardoned for serving the governor instead of serving their sentences.

another- you started it by saying if a democrat did this. The shock is that a republican not a democrat did this incredibly obscene thing! It's still obscene it's just shocking because it was a republican. They typically don't cry and say "he's such a great guy and if it hadn't been for his second grade teacher who was mean he'd be a surgeon so let's let him go free"

Haley Barbour is no gentleman.

Damn I could support commuting the sentence but a whole full pardon.. Damn.

Haley Barbour, shortly after Hurricane Katrina devasted his state, redirected $600 million in relief funds to rebuild the port of Gulfport, which had suffered, at most, $50 million in damage. I guess the exporters gave him more donations than poor Mississippi voters whose homes and possessions were destroyed.

Kal Albert & TOPGUN117-

Do you deny that if a Democrat had pardoned four killers, whether serially or simultaneously, that there would not be a conservative uproar? As far as mean second-grade teachers go, I can't recall that claim ever having been used a justification in defense, appeal, commutation, or outright pardon. It must be particularly distressing that Gov. Barbour, an early adherent of the Republican Party, should do something so blatantly against confidence in the criminal justice system. I, as you both have probably guessed, am a registered Democrat, and I'm distressed that justice for four lives taken has been seemingly served by the guilty serving the governor, a feeling that would most assuredly hold if the governor were a Democrat. The Ninth Circuit judges (not mine, since I don't live in their jurisdiction) make decisions, however much you may disagree with them, based on the Constitution.

As a point of clarification, I don't take Prozac or any other mood-altering medications, which is probably good since it seems that there are others in need.

I'm happy to hear of someone else that doesn't take mind altering drugs.

That makes two of us.

TOPGUN117.......

The surprising thing is not that a republican pardoned a criminal. It is that a republican pardoned someone OTHER THAN A WHITE COLLAR criminal.

The days when you folks could masquerade as "Christian" and moral are long gone. You are neither. Barbour's action here is more proof of this.

Just wait until one or more of those pardoned commits another violent crime. Perhaps you will show up then to defend Barbour's actions by attacking those of us on the other side. Maybe you, given your choice of screen name, have an affinity with violence.

topgun, you're ignorant if you think that either republican or democrat judges leave their personal feelings out of their rulings.

bad decision, Republican or Democrat holding state or national office. Sad that Democrats complain this time and Republicans complain next time. We all should complain about this practice. In retrospect, kind of makes complaints about President Bush and Skooter Libby pretty insignificant.

Honestly this is something I'd expect from the left. This POS has left a great stain on the Republican party.

As usual we have Glenn beck or some right wing nut trolling around. Some how they will claim that its a democratic plot to discredit the repubs.

Wake up. The guy nutjob called Haley let Murders free. Get it. Murders go free. THey didnt steal a loaf of bred. Pardoned by some nutcase. If there is any justice in this world that Haley finds this same justice he meated out come back to haunt his own family. It would be sad to see more unneccesary deaths. He might just, might, just understand. He is probably brain injured or just plain stupid.

No. The conservatives call the real conservatives liberals. THey have the best name calling because they have themselves up as examples.Newt left his dieing wife and cheated on others and then called out Clinton for the same thing. Its more tom foolery.. Newt is a great example of a fat boddy conservative who has no discipline and is a total sell out to any cause at any time they see fits. He has the morality of a amoeba. He looks like one.

it's the teatards to the rescue!

If a Democrat had done this it would've been Obama's fault.

Wouldn't it now?

TOPGUN is obviously ignorant. It is VERY difficult to try to reason with the ignorant. Look at the current problems in Washington and how we've failed to reason with another band of idiots, the Republican party. As an independent moderate, I don't usually take sides, but when you can either vote for a party working for the people, or a party working for themselves, it's an easy choice, even if you think the party working for the people isn't making the perfect decisions. At least they are dedicated to the people of the USA, and not their pockets and lobbyists.

What a bonehead dumbass move........

You got that right.

. . . and the President pardons government property thieves and drug dealers. As another person said, "Today we rant against the GOP."

I do have to agree with pardons to drug dealers: it's more socially acceptable than pardoning murderers but I don't hear any outrage.

WTH are you talking about? Oh wait, I forgot, GOP dopes like to throw nonsense out there, ala Sean Hannity, with no supporting facts or figures. You are a MMMM ORON

I thought the same thing while reading this article. From the posts here, no one will.

ZERO accountability. That is what is wrong with the system. If the Governor were to be held somewhat accountable for the future actions of these scum bags, it would put a stop to this.

Makes Illinois look pretty tame.

LOL

Kal would be right up there enjoying all of the things Bo mentioned.

Kal Albert

smacking the crap out of b-head's like you would be high on my list.

People who threaten other people online typically have neanderthal IQ's and wear mustard stained wife beater shirts.

Mike:

For the record, those are dijon mustard stains...

na, they still do that behind the scenes. you forgot they worship satan as well.

No Bo that kind of debauchery only occurs at the Democrats conventions.

go rick perry!! wooooooooooooo!

Bo, You failed to mention Clinton in your list of cheaters. Just an oversight, right?

Go Haley Barbour let the criminals loose, turn the clock back to lench N-Days

Throwing the old and/or disabled into a pit to die? Starving the unemployed and homeless?

The Repubs think thats personal responsibility. Everyone takes risks in life. You have to chance it unless your smart. If you are smart guy you just apply to the government for 700 billion bailout.

Don't lump all GOP members with this clown. As the article said, Democratic governors have pardoned murderers too. It has nothing to do with party affiliation. This is just wrong, any way you look at it. People convicted of murder should never be allowed pardons, period, end of story. And they should never be allowed to serve any time out of their prison cell. I applaud any efforts to stop this practice.

Actually the article did not explicitly say that Democratic shave pardoned murderers. It did say that both parties have made pardons on the way out the door. It goes on to say that since 1988, out of 12 pardons, all but 2 were murderers. I don't know what the party affiliation is of the governors since 1988. And the article doesn't say.. unless I missed it ...which is totally possible.

Bo: Surely you remember President Kennedy and his liaisons with a number of women, one in particle Marilyn Monroe and President Clinton and his Monica Lewinsky, both as Democratic Presidents! You might also what to address last years Government records for who was either investigated, indited or censured for improprieties, Democrats took the lead. Your other statements are nothing more than delusional rants. Now if you had said the Government (both sides) was out of it's mind I'd agreed, this is a perfect example of it!!!!!!...

Excuse me? Cheating on your wife is a diseases of both parties. I don't think it comes to the level of pardoning murderers however.

Cheating is a problem in both parties but Republicans championed their own false moral high ground which is why they are deserving of higher scrutiny in that aspect.

Personally, I believe we should do away with the pardons completely. Recommendations WITH reasoning for parole or early release with further review processes to accept or refuse the recommendation would be an acceptable substitution for the current practice.

Ok. Do a little research and learn a lot. The article says there were 12 exit pardons since 1988, including other murderers, but does not specify which governors or their party affiliations were associated with what pardons. There is no sense arguing over who is "worse" without additional data.

Let's look at a total list of gubernatorial pardons -- not just exit pardons -- for all governors since 1988. There have been 2 Democrat governors (Ray Mabus and Ronnie Musgrove) and 2 Republican governors (Kirk Fordice and Haley Barbour). Here is the break down, according to the Sun Herald of Biloxi-Gulfport and South Mississippi, published in the Saturday, Dec 31, 2011 issue:

Mabus (D): 4 total pardons, one murderer

Fordice (R): 13 total pardons, 2 murderers (and one involuntary manslaughter)

Musgrove (D): 1 total pardon, 0 murderers

Barbour (R): 5 total pardons before Jan 1, 2012, 3 murderers (and one manslaughter); 5 total pardons after Jan 1, 2012, 4 murderers

(Another article I saw contained a reference to Barbour being involved in 5 killer's pardons prior to March 2011, but no source was cited, so I am not using that info).

Now... everyone can draw their own conclusions.

"Barbour's three predecessors, dating back to 1988, gave some type of early release or pardon to a total of 12 Governor's Mansion trusties. All but two of them had been convicted of murder. One was serving time for forgery and another for armed robbery and aggravated assault."

Where did you get your list?

If you are referring to my comment, I cited the source. Try reading it again. I also noted that these were all pardons (i.e. not just trusties). Presumably, they pardoned others during their tenures, in addition to the trusties. I would think these figures would be even better at comparing pardon records as a whole, as it purports to be all of them. It should still be reflective of the trustee pardons (sorry, I referred to those as exit pardons in the sense that they were issued as the governors left office, so the sloppy word choice on my part may have caused confusion) in that the trustee pardons should be a part of the pardon totals. If, for example, one governor pardoned 4 total, including one a murderer, then no more than one trustee pardon could have possibly been a murderer or as few as 0 were, if that pardon was granted to someone other than a trustee. I never claimed these figures were the end-all-and-be-all of the info out there, but it was what I could find with a few moments research -- which was more than anyone else had bothered to come up with as they argued over who was worse at pardoning murderers, Dems or Repubs. It is at least the start for a point of comparison.

by your thought process I can guess what your disability is. nice work bigot.

Kal - You're obviously another uninformed person who likes to jump to wrong conclusions. It's apparent that you're not a very good guesser. If your job involves forecasting, then you might want to look for another.

Kal Albert

by your thought process I can guess what your disability is. nice work bigot.

I know you people despise education but go look up the word bigot and come back.

Bigot

intolerant person:

somebody with strong opinions, especially on politics, religion, or ethnicity, who refuses to accept different views

[ Late 16th century. < French ]
big·ot·ed ADJECTIVE
big·ot·ry
NOUN

Synonyms: extremist, diehard, dogmatist, racist, chauvinist, hypocrite

sucking on the teet? you mean all the elderly don't do that? oh wait...they do. but you're old so it's okay right? ohh......

The GOP don't use criminals for campaign mangers. ACORN belonged to the Dem's.

"disabled" is accurate. No need to guess.

@Tea Earl Gray = Racist, Bigot

Disabledvoter...

Great response!!!

Sounds like the Barbour releasees are representative of some of the Tea Party members (questionable histories)...Wonder if one of the releasees will end up as a last minute Republican candidate for POTUS or later Mississippi Governor race...Their reputations are similar to some of the present people running for POTUS...I'm sure the Republicans can simulate these people into their REPUBLICAN PARTY PLATFORM QUITE EASILY...

Barbour is typical of the 2-faced Republican Party reputation...Do as I say , not as I do...

The GOP doesn't need no edumacation. They don't care if they misuse words. It don't mek u smert if you got a college degrie. Didn't you heah?

Coming from Solutions539 I will take it as a compliment. Check out his comment history. Who does this guy tolerate other than Obama?

Maybe these guys did more then just pour drinks, etc. for the gov.?

lets see he's a fat white southern republican with an attitude of superiority who likes to play God.

I think they might have something over him. Must be. or he is just retarded.

Maybe some of those victims families should think about some Second Amendment Remedies for the Governor the right wing is always talking about.

Sandy, calm that rehtoric down, we don't need good people doing stupid things over what has to be a very emotional circumstance...

doesn't matter is they are killers, banl robbers, or especially corporate execs. unless there is new evidence that shows they are innocent they should remian incarcerated..... Commuting a death sentence is one thing but a pardon?? Maybe he realizes this is the only way to get new republican voters, since the far right has destroyed the republican appeal to sane people.

i may be wrong but i don't think ex felons can vote.

A pardon restores all rights, including the right to vote and bear arms.

great.........

If Republicans have a lock on this please explain why two of the last three governors to pardon murderers were DEMOCRATS?

Song song of the South

sweet potatoe pie and shut my mouth

Rocky,

who were they and where??

as in working on their knees?