Barbour's Pardons Raising Eyebrows

Jackson, Ms - It seems like only yesterday, that is yesterday, 8 years ago, when Haley Barbour swept into the governorship of Mississippi by pulling the upset of one-term incumbent Ronnie Musgrove.

But, 8 years later, it's the two-term Republican's final days as Governor that threatens taint his legacy. Just hours before the swearing in of fellow Republican Phil Bryant as his successor, Barbour gave pardons or early release to nearly 200 people, including more than two dozen whose crimes ran the gamut from murder, to manslaughter or homicide.

Four convicted murderers, all of whom had worked in the prison trusty program at the Governor's Mansion, were among those who tasted immediate freedom.

Barbour's unexplained decision to release or pardon so many felons gave rise to unflattering comparisons to his predecessors in Mississippi and to the actions of outgoing governors in neighboring states.

For example, fellow Republican, the late Kirk Fordice only suspended the sentences of two people serving life for murder and pardoned one convicted killer in 8 years.

In his two terms that ended in 2011, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen issued 23 final pardons, reduced the sentences of just 3 inmates and released another man who was proven innocent.

Bredesen's most memorable decision was to give clemency and then release to previously convicted Death Row inmate Bartlett housewife Gaile Owens. Owens had been convicted in 1985 for hiring a hitman to kill her husband.

"While this in no way excuses the arranging for murder, that the possibility of abuse and psychological conditions that can result in that abuse seems to me to be at least a factor in the severity of the punishment," said Bredesen.

As for Barbour, who entered office as a law and order proponent, the precedent for releasing violent felons had already been set. In 2008 Barbour gave to okay to release five other convicted killers. No doubt the most unusual example of Barbour's
clemency powers came in 2010 when he bowed to public sentiment to release sisters Jamie and Gladys Scott who served 16 years of their life sentences for armed robbery. However, their released hinged on Barbour's unusual request to have one of the sisters agree to be providing a kidney to be transplanted in the other, an operation that so far hasn't take place though both remain free.

But, Barbour's magnanimity didn't extend to Death Row inmates. During his tenure, 9 people where executed without his intervention.