Kentucky Pardons (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

This seems petty and dangerous
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Matt Bevin is no longer the governor of Kentucky, but his decisions continued to send shock waves through the state’s legal system this week after he issued pardons for hundreds of people, some of whom committed violent offenses.

Bevin issued 428 pardons since his defeat to Democrat Andy Beshear in a close election in November, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

His list includes a man convicted of reckless homicide, a convicted child rapist, a man who murdered his parents at age 16 and a woman who threw her newborn in the trash after giving birth in a flea market outhouse.

He also pardoned Dayton Jones, who was convicted in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy at a party, Kentucky New Era reported.

It is not unusual for governors to issue pardons as they leave office, but Bevin’s actions boggled some of the state’s attorneys, who questioned his judgment.

“What this governor did is an absolute atrocity of justice,” said Commonwealth Attorney Jackie Steele, a prosecutor for Knox and Laurel counties. “He’s put victims, he’s put others in our community in danger.”.............

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/12/defeated-gop-governor-pardoned-violent-criminals-spree-lawyers-are-calling-an-atrocity-justice/

 

[MT15]

Some politicians are obviously just power junkies and care not one bit for the true reason they were given their power, to serve the people of their state or district. He was throwing a petulant fit because he lost. He’s a horrible human being, it’s beyond doubt.

 

[crosswatt]

This really transcends party and ideology in a way that is rare these days. And it's interesting to me to see the level of reprehensible that it takes to do so too. Kudos to Blevins for being this crappy.

 

[crosswatt]

Also, this is Kentucky, a land of the blood feud and of hillbilly justice. If the child rapist lives past the end of the year, I'll be surprised.

 

[samiam5211]

I think this guys had a few pardons he didn’t want to get noticed for some reason and decided to try and bury them in a flood of pardons.

 

[dtc]

This really transcends party and ideology in a way that is rare these days. And it's interesting to me to see the level of reprehensible that it takes to do so too. Kudos to Blevins for being this crappy.

How do the actions of this Republican Governor transcend party? Have we had a Democrat pardon child rapists and murderers who donated to their candidacy? I must have missed it.

 

[MT15]

I think this guys had a few pardons he didn’t want to get noticed for some reason and decided to try and bury them in a flood of pardons.

but why would he try to cover up some pardons? He can pardon anyone he likes, correct? Even if it’s for a corrupt intent?

 

[Optimus Prime]

How do the actions of this Republican Governor transcend party? Have we had a Democrat pardon child rapists and murderers who donated to their candidacy? I must have missed it.

I think he meant transcend party loyalty and that Republicans can freely condemn this and not perform any mental gymnastics to justify it

But I’ve thought that before when someone comes along and wants to be Simone Biles

 

[Optimus Prime]

I think this guys had a few pardons he didn’t want to get noticed for some reason and decided to try and bury them in a flood of pardons.

He pardons murderers, rapists and child molesters to distract from the ones he doesn’t want noticed?

 

[samiam5211]

He pardons murderers, rapists and child molesters to distract from the ones he doesn’t want noticed?

You’re right. I didn’t know all of the details when I made that comment.

At least the Republicans in the state look to be holding him accountable.

 

[Optimus Prime]

You’re right. I didn’t know all of the details when I made that comment.

At least the Republicans in the state look to be holding him accountable.

It actually got me thinking:

If this is who he wants the media focused on who is the secret Bond villain he hopes slips through the cracks?

 

[Saintamaniac]

He pardons murderers, rapists and child molesters to distract from the ones he doesn’t want noticed?

It would be poetic justice if the murderers, rapists and child molesters he pardoned decided to visit him and his family to thank them in person. By pardoning those folks, he pretty much showed a blatant disregard for the lives of victims of those criminals.

 

[Optimus Prime]

It would be poetic justice if the murderers, rapists and child molesters he pardoned decided to visit him and his family to thank them in person. By pardoning those folks, he pretty much showed a blatant disregard for the lives of victims of those criminals.

Blatant disregard for any future victims too

And I really hope that there are no future victims

 

[Optimus Prime]

For what it’s worth
===============
....On Friday, Bevin responded to his critics in a series of 20 tweets. He said he spent “hundreds of hours” reviewing pardon applications and made each decision based on the “set of facts, evidence, lack of evidence, supporting documents, reasons and unique details.”

Bevin added it was “highly offensive and entirely false” for anyone to suggest “political or financial considerations” played a role in his decisions.....

Bevin, a devout Christian, also strongly defended himself from charges he endangered public safety.

“Not one person receiving a pardon would I not welcome as a co-worker, neighbor, or to sit beside me or any member of my family in a church pew or at a public event,” he wrote.

“No community is either more or less safe now, than it was before the pardons and commutations given over the past four years.”.........

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/former-kentucky-governor-defends-pardons-argues-american-is-a-nation-that-supports-redemption/2019/12/13/526f346a-1e04-11ea-b4c1-fd0d91b60d9e_story.html

 

[Nebaghead]

You’re right. I didn’t know all of the details when I made that comment.

At least the Republicans in the state look to be holding him accountable.

It's all talk though. What actions are being held against Bevins. They will just feign outrage and move on. I guarantee you he won't hurt financially from this.

 

[insidejob]

I saw an interview with the mother of the child rapist he pardoned on Friday. Let's just say the recovery her daughter and family had made in the year or so since he'd been incarcerated was wiped out with the stroke of Bevin's pen and now they're basically back at square one with the PTSD, etc., that comes with her rapist being back on the street. I don't care if he's a R or a D, he's obviously a hateful, petty moron who's showing why he lost re-election.

 

[insidejob]

“No community is either more or less safe now, than it was before the pardons and commutations given over the past four years.”

Yeah, all these violent criminals being returned to their neighborhoods makes them safer, right?

 

[BobE]

Jesus, this thread