Folks for those that have not heard, on his last day in office Mississippi Gov Boss Hogg issued almost 200 pardons, which by historic standards here in Mississippi is a huge number for a Gov. It is troubling that he seemed to favor male murderers that killed women and the sheer number of last day pardons has some observers wondering if Gov Hogg engaged in some pay to play with the process. I don’t know what the going rate is for a pardon these days but legendary Louisiana legislator B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn, a Mississippi guy from way far back, once told me the story of how 2 head of cattle got his relative a pardon from then Mississippi Gov Bilbo so it is a fair question in my estimation. My own two cents there is I don’t think Boss Hogg took any money folks but to paraphrase Nowdy I think I know how the cat or in this case the Hogg thinks.
There are two folks on the Gov’s list that drew my particular attention as I knew the victims personally and both have been highlighted in the press feeding frenzy today including an erroneous report in the Jackson Clarion Ledger. Before I get to them let me begin with the Mississippi AP trio of Holbrook Mohr, Emily Wagster Pettus and Jeff Amy’s coverage:
Among those getting full pardons was the brother of former NFL quarterback and Southern Miss standout Brett Favre. Earnest Scott Favre had his record cleared in the 1996 death of his best friend, Mark Haverty. Favre had driven in front of a train in Pass Christian while drunk, pleaded guilty in 1997, and was sentenced to a year of house arrest followed by two years’ probation.
I’ve known the victim’s family since I was a kid and due to the fact that Scott’s brother Brett is famous, this case made big news on the coast when the alcohol fueled tragedy happened back in the mid 90s. While much was made at the time of the light sentence received by Favre in the local media I don’t ever recall ever seeing reported the fact that the victim’s family did not want Favre prosecuted at all. The DA gave Favre the house arrest and probation because of that and caught hell in the media because of it, unfairly in my opinion given the stance taken by victim’s family. This leads us to an inaccuracy in the reporting on this case by the Clarion Ledger whose reporter obviously did not have access to all the facts when she wrote:
Earnest Scott Favre did receive a full, complete and unconditional pardon. Though originally only expected to serve one year of house arrest for causing his friend’s death while driving drunk in 1996, the elder Favre had his full sentence – 15 years – reinstated after leaving home for a fishing trip.
Not exactly since it was Favre’s probation officer who gave him permission to take that local fishing trip and he ultimately successfully completed the terms of his original deal with the DA. The bottom line here is I don’t suspect Mark’s family is upset with the pardon Scott received though the media coverage certainly opens some old wounds.
Another case is the manslaughter conviction of Karen Irby in the death of two Jackson area doctors Lisa Dedousis and Daniel “Mark” Pogue. I knew Mark professionally because before he was a Doc he was an accountant that had particularly good connections with the SBA. Karen Irby was the wife of Stuart Irby, son of a legendary powerline construction mogul by the same name. The younger Irby is not a chip off the old block and his wife was served up as the sacrificial lamb for the alcohol fueled deaths of Dedousis and Pogue in an auto accident as Karen Irby steadfastly maintained Stuart was beating her while she was driving him home. Given Stu’s subsequent scrapes with the law since his then wife went off to do an 18 year stint in the pokey, I believe Karen Irby’s story. That said the pardons evidently pain Dr Dedousis’s family per the Jackson Jambalaya Blog as they were not notified. I remember Mark as a very bright and driven man who died way too young.
In any event this is the story dominating discussion in Mississippi today. I’m personally very uncomfortable with the sheer number of murderers in the list and think Boss Hogg went hog-wild with his constitutionally bestowed power to pardon. That said there was a quote in the Clarion Ledger reporting that is worth repeating given the contents of this post as it is certainly true:
…an attorney for two of the total 221 helped by Barbour said each case should be examined carefully before making an overall judgment.
“There are a whole lot of people in prison who should not be there,” said Chokwe Lumumba, also a Jackson City Councilman. “Obviously, murder is the kind of thing you put people in (prison) for,” he continued, “but that doesn’t mean that people cannot be rehabilitated.”
Unfortunately when someone dies that is something that can not be undone.
sop
Former Gov.Barbour is not immune from an investigation and/or prosecution for 'abuse of power' and 'malfeasance'.
His absence from Mississippi coupled with his refusal to comment are the actions of a coward, which Boss Hogg surely is.
And I don't want to hear about spending tax dollars to protect this far ass from the consequences of his abominable conduct. He should be open prey as we are to the criminal element he has forced upon us.
Fortunately the DEMOCRAT, Attorney General Hood, has gone to court to do something about reversing this debacle caused by this 'law and order' Boss Hogg REPUBLICAN !!!
Shocking! But then, what "repercussions" did Bill Clinton and Eric Holder suffer for the "late night" pardons that they granted as Bill exited the Whitehouse, one of which benefitted the International CRIMINAL Mark Rich? Statistics say that the CRIMINALS your former Mississippi Governor just let loose on law-abiding Society will become recividists and be back behind bars before too long. Say a prayer that no one innocent dies in the meantime. Ashton O'Dwyer.
Of course the cases Hood is citing involves Scott Favre and there are 3 people that posted public notices for pardons here on the coast, none of which appear to be timely.
Scott Favre
Jimmy Avera
Kelly Michael Bellipanni
All three paid their debt to society and have evidently been law abiding citizens since. Like I said in Scott's case the family did not want to see him prosecuted period back in 1996. According to comments on Jackson Jambalaya that I linked above Karen Irby's victims families also asked the judge for leniency as I suspect everyone is hip to the real villian in that case in her hubby. I have read comments at NMC's place about like cases that he profiled.
I don't have a problem with any of those if that is the case and I would hope that AG Hood would refrain from using them to make political hay, which is exactly what I think he is doing. The Repugnicans were never the law and order party folks and trust me when I say they are as crooked as the democants, down here in the south more crooked in fact.
Next time a politican runs down a blogger about dragging people thru the mud for petty ends just stand back and watch the postering going on now with this. Ronal Serpas should be taking notes in fact.
sop
Let us not forget Sop that there are others that were pardoned whose "situational circumstance" cannot and should not be rationalized…
It was only a few months ago that we read of one of former Gov.Edwin Edwards 'murder' pardons coming back to haunt us by his committing another murder …
It is not up to the family of Ms.Irby's victims to intervene as to what should or should not happen to Ms. Irby … she killed two people as a result of where she choose to be, husband or no husband … she was driving while intoxicated with or without her husband beating her up … it was an egregious act against society … and the 18 years she was sentenced to concurrently was lenient enough !!!
I'll rant about Barbour more later … he's relocated to Florida ? … people are going to pay this buffoon fat ass to speak ? about what ? … law and order … or how one refines their hypocricy while acting out as the REPUBLICAN POSTER BOY for all these years …
Boss Hogg got a job at Butler Snow in Jackson with all the other washed up politicians 'Gate.
Irby was not pardoned but her sentence was commuted to include house arrest and probation. And yes, I think at sentencing time the wishes of the victims families should carry great weight with a judge. 18 years was not lenient in the circumstances, not even close in fact.
The murderers bother me like I said in the post. And one of the Felony DUI cases where the guy was actually sitting in jail for another DUI bothers me too.
sop
Butler,Snow News Release:
BARBOUR’S DIRTY DOZEN INFILTRATE IRAN … BLOW UP NUCLEAR SCIENTIST…
Without a doubt, ‘The PR Spin’ of all spins !!!
Gov. Barbour before his pardons … headed towards the snow passin up his butler …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlNOwwQQJk
Barbour is MIA because he led his Dirty Dozen to Iran to do the dirty deed. Hilarious Whit. So they got pardons from Boss Hogg if they agreed to go to Iran and take out a nuclear threat? Ok.
No one is saying that some people who have been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, CRIMES, are not entitled to being considered for pardons by legitimate authority, as part of "the criminal justice sysyem". However, the ex-Governor of Mississippi pardoned almost 200 FELONS, including murderers, rapists, armed robbers, and worst. WHAT THE FUCK, OVER? Ashton O'Dwyer.
Hogg's PR release did say he wanted to restore their right to own guns to hunt.
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WltC_vUoUh8&fe…
How apropos … and on so many levels … oh the irony of it all …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8BGHt18JTI
In 189 of the instances, the people paid their debt to society and are otherwise living productive lives according to Ex Gov Hogg. I hate to sound like the voice of reason in a feeding frenzy but the sheer number of pardons no longer bothers me.
That said the release of convicted murderers still does.
sop
The pardonee everyone should really love is scumbag former federal agent and unregenerate drunk Harry Bostick who received the news of his pardon while in jail for violating the terms of his probation for felony DUI.
How did he violate? You guessed right. Another DUI, only this one killed an 18 year old woman.
I go back to the proposition that nobody cares if you pardon a spouse killer on the theory that all parties to a marriage have at one time or another considered that crime. Do it once and the chances are you'll have trouble finding another taker. Recidivist DUI drivers on the other hand are a menace to the public, their victims are random.
I do wonder why Mayor Greg Davis didn't work something out in anticipation of his charges and why Tommy the convicted woman beater Freeland didn't spend a few bucks for a fresh start. Oh, incidentally isn't newly-converted Republican Senator Gray Tollison's recent bride Pig Boy's lawyer? What role, if any, did she have in the pardons? Did hubby or his family firm pull in any pardon fees? Is a fat hog heavy?
This morning's "Times-Pick-Your-Nose" crossed state lines to report that Mississippi Circuit Judge Timie Green issued an injunction late yesterday (Wednesday) at the behest of Mississippi AG Jim Hood, blocking the release of 21 inmates who ex-Governor Barbour wants back in the midst of law-abiding citizens. Barbour remains unapologetic, saying that "189 of the inmates had already completed their incarceration." Something doesn't "translate" here: Why would the 189 have been "inmates" if they had "already completed their incarceration"? And although Barbour claims that "people have misunderstood why he gave reprieves to more than 200 inmates", he has not given a reasoned explanation for his "last-minute before he left office" action, other than: "Because I thought I could." At least the "Times-Pick-Your-Nose" didn't report his explanation. Ashton O'Dwyer.
When Boss Hogg assumed office I think he was keenly aware of all the power the office held. I don't think what his predecessors did in terms of numbers of pardons ever entered into his mind.
The inmates the story referred was the few convicts like Karen Irby that were still behind bars. Ironically it was Judge Green that ignored the request for some leniency for Irby and imposed the 18 year sentence on her.
From my casual following of Judge Green from afar I'll add she is reversed a good bit by MSSC on these high profile type issues.
sop
ps Ashton, Judge Green looks like your kinda lady. 😉
http://www.co.hinds.ms.us/pgs/Circuit/greenbio.as…
Mississippi's ex-Governor has finally offered an explanation for his 11th hour pardons for some 200 convicted FELONS, including a fair number of perpetrators of crimes of violence. According to that paragon of the Lame Stream Media, WTVA of Tupelo, Mississippi, the ex-Governor stated a few hours ago that: "My decision about clemency was based upon the recommendation of the Parole Board in more than 90 percent of the cases." WTVA did not report the identities of the Parole Board Members or identify who appointed the Members to the Parole Board to that august body. As of this writing, the Parole Board had not responded to NUMEROUS INQUIRIES from WTVA and elsewhere. Ashton O'Dwyer.
Someone at a different site observed:
"Don't you see that slimy scumbag would drop an H-bomb on Biloxi if he could work a political or pecuniary advantage for himself out of the deal."
Nicely put. I wish I could think up stuff like that.
Both he and Phildo already have Hendry it was called the oil spill and both guys were BP lackeys from the start.
And now Boss Hogg works for one of State Farm's Mississippi based law firms.
sop
The whole time we filed repeatedly for relief of our settled claims BOSS HOG'S and two lawfirms from MS. ie. attorneys BRUNIN on behalf the state with another firm and their crooked ass judges denied anything. Leaving office Boss Hogg release's a bunch of murders, rapers, etc. and joins that other law firm. The one which started this shit by threatening us out of the lawsuit then accepting $84 million for theirselves by using our claims. The Hog brings his past legal corporate knowledge to f-ck over the masses.
Our child sit in a prision on false charges for control of an inheritance should we die. Or is it murder for hire.The state conspires to disburst payments of fraudulent claims from our awards. And with our names all over settlement awards we get nothing. Mississippi and its f-cked up bull-shit shouldn't ever be called law. High ranking thugs most likely a bunch of f-cking queers who have state law enforcement protecting their gay shit. MS. has wussie law for wussies only. All these ass to nose connections go all the way the the DOJ. Vote Ron Paul.
They aren't man enough to hold down a real job. If your going to steal and extort for a living and expect to get away with it, who they blowing? Wonder how Jimmy feels giving protection to the attroneys involved which he picked only to have the Hog slide in with a connection to attorneys which stated it all? Kinda changes the cut amoung the theives.Clearly men of honor and dignity won't allow this shit to go on very much longer. There is nothing here that a civil war couldn't correct. I recall someone suggest WE'LL START BY KILLING ALL THE LAWYERS AND WORK OUR WAY UP. Now who was that?