PARDON ME PLEASE

ONLY IN MISSISSIPPI can 200 plus convicts get pardoned a one time

JACKSON, Miss. -- A spokeswoman for Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said he is taking legal action in response to dozens of pardons issued by outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour. Read: Gov. Haley Barbour Pardons 2004-2012 Barbour left office at noon Tuesday, after Gov. Phil Bryant took the oath of office. But before he left, Barbour issued pardons for more than 200 inmates.

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Barbour also suspended some sentences and ordered conditional clemency for Karen Irby, who pleaded guilty in 2010 to manslaughter in connection with the deaths of two doctors. Lisa Dedousis and Daniel Pogue were killed in a 2009 crash in which Irby admitted that she had been drinking before getting behind the wheel of her Mercedes.Irby claimed that her husband, Stuart, was beating her when she crossed the center line on Old Canton Road, hitting the pickup truck that carried Dedousis and Pogue. The doctors were killed in the fiery crash.

MDOC Karen Irby. Click here for slideshow.

Under Barbour's order, Irby will be given clemency on the condition that she serve three years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections Intensive Supervision Program, which is house arrest, according to state records. Irby will also have to serve an additional two years under the supervision of MDOC Community Corrections Division, state records show.On Sunday, Barbour issued pardons for four convicted killers, David Gatlin, Charles Hooker, Anthony McCray and Joseph Ozment, who worked as trusties at the Governor's Mansion.The list grew on Tuesday to include pardons for more than 20 inmates convicted of murder, manslaughter or homicide. Barbour also issued pardons to several others for charges ranging from rape to robbery.Barbour also pardoned former NFL quarterback Brett Favre's brother, who was convicted of a fatal DUI-related crash.Earnest Scott Favre had his record cleared in the 1996 death of his best friend, Mark Haverty.Scott Favre had driven in front of a train in Pass Christian while drunk, and police said he pleaded guilty in 1997 and was sentenced to a year of house arrest followed by two years' probation.Barbour's decision to issue the pardons took Mississippi College School of Law professor Matt Steffey by surprise."This is the longest state governor pardon list I've looked at in memory," Steffey said. "It's a controversial power. The governor certainly used it vigorously on the eve of his departure from office, and questions will remain whether this was a just exercise of that power."Already there is outrage from victims' families. Steffey speculated that Barbour was advised before making his decision."Even though they are often horrific homicide crimes, perhaps the person served enough time, paid their debt to society. The governor doesn't have to explain why he used pardons, what his criteria was and the like," Steffey said.Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith said lawmakers need to make sure this doesn't happen again."The only way to address this is by constitutional amendment through the people and the legislators and senators," Smith said.Hood said the pardons were a tragedy for the victims involved in each of the cases."It is inconceivable to me that the governor would take this action and would jeopardize the safety of the people he was sworn to protect," Hood said.Hood said his office pushed for a bill that was passed in 2007 which gives victims the right to be notified and their concerns heard before an inmate is released."Our office feels heartbroken that these victims were not given this courtesy," Hood said. "We welcome the opportunity to work with lawmakers to enhance the notification requirements already in place."Hood will hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon to discuss the actions his office plans to take.Barbour has not had any comment about the pardons.

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