Commuted Sentences
While Tiger Woods is hogging the media’s attention with what appears to be a domestic dispute disguised as a one-car crash, something terrible has happened just south of Seattle, Washington. On Friday, four police officers were shot and killed in a Washington coffee shop. Stories are everywhere. What’s not always present in the stories is the interesting background on the main suspect.
Maurice Clemmons is currently the prime suspect for the murders. While never accused of murder in the past, Clemmons was serving a 95-year prison sentence in 1989 for various violent crimes and robberies. In August 2000, Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee commuted his sentence, setting him free. Since then, Clemmons has been in trouble with the law for everything from robbery to child rape, but he still managed to walk the streets as a free man.
If you have never heard of the phrase “commuted sentence,” WiseGeek.com describes it this way:
“A commuted sentence is a legal sentence which has been adjusted by an official to make the sentence less severe. Classically, commuted sentences come in the form of reduced imprisonment, although commutation can also involve a reduction of fees and other penalties ordered by a judge. In order to receive a commuted sentence, a prisoner must apply to a high-ranking government official such as the President or Prime Minister of the country or the governor of a state or province.”1
How do you feel about early release from prison sentences? Obviously this is an extreme example, but it makes for a stimulating Dinner Topic!
Read on:
wwl.com – 4 cops shot to death in Washington
TalkingPointsMemo.com – Another Huckabee Pardon
CNN.com – Hunt for suspect in police shootings leads to Seattle home
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