BATON ROUGE, LA - Outgoing Democrat Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has reportedly pardoned a total of 56 inmates between the months of October and December, including close to 40 convicted murderers.
Edwards, the only Democrat governor in the South, is set to leave office on January 8, 2024, after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. Reducing the state's grossly over-populated prisons has been one of his top priorities and while in office not only did he pardon convicted violent felons, but in 2017 he also signed into law a bill that helped shorten prison sentences for many.
According to the Daily Mail, that law shortened prison sentences, kept certain non-violent offenders out of prison, expanded eligibility for parole, and provided more money to educate and train ex-offenders.
In the state of Louisiana, a staggering 1,094 people per 100,000 are in some form of incarceration. Edwards said in a statement, "For as long as I can remember, Louisiana reflexively responded to an increase in crime by putting more people in prison and keeping them there longer."
He added, "We've never been made safer as a result of that. There is no data to suggest that an increase in crime here was because of the reforms."
Among those pardoned and released by the outgoing governor was a man who was only seven hours from being given the electric chair for the April 1983 murder of a taxi driver. The inmate, David Rushing, was 18-years-old when he confessed to trying to rob a convenience store and a gas station. Instead of doing that, he called a cab and shot the driver, Danny Archer, dead.
Rushing was initially sentenced to death, but his lawyers successfully appealed, citing that there was prosecutorial misconduct and an ineffective defense during the trial.
Another inmate pardoned by Edwards was Anthony Riggins.
Riggins show and killed an unarmed 68-year-old shopkeeper, identified as Peter Davenhauer, in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna. Riggins was convicted of his crime in November 1977.
Another inmate who was recently pardoned was Venson Dean Vampran.
Vampran was found guilty of killing hitchhiker Mark Bass in October 1984 and raping the victim's wife, Susan Bass. Vampran was 25-years-old when he committed these heinous crimes.
Others released by the Democrat Governor in the last three months include those who have been convicted of aggravated arson, possession of Schedule II narcotics, aggravated kidnapping, theft, first-degree robbery, perjury, and armed robbery.
During the month of December, Edwards pardoned five inmates who were convicted of first-degree murder and 11 convicted of second-degree murder.
Edwards was elected into office back in 2016 after defeating Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 election for governor. He was re-elected to a second term in 2019, becoming the first Democratic governor to win a re-election in the state since 1975.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry was elected as Edwards replacement after securing over 50 percent of the vote threshold in an October primary. Edwards said that he is concerned that Landry, a Republican, would "undo his prison and justice reforms"
Landry reportedly campaigned on "locking more people up, cutting taxes, and reducing government regulation." He also pledged to force district attorneys to prosecute more people and seek tougher sentences for those convicted of crimes.
On his campaign website, Landry said that he intends to hire more police officers and empower them to make more arrests. He said in a statement, "We must close the revolving door of criminals who commit a crime, get caught, go to jail for a brief period, and re-offend. This cycle of 'catch and release' is unacceptable."
Edwards said that regardless, he is "proud" of his work over the last eight years. He said, "When I leave office, the state of Louisiana will be better than it was when I took office."
Edwards, the only Democrat governor in the South, is set to leave office on January 8, 2024, after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. Reducing the state's grossly over-populated prisons has been one of his top priorities and while in office not only did he pardon convicted violent felons, but in 2017 he also signed into law a bill that helped shorten prison sentences for many.
According to the Daily Mail, that law shortened prison sentences, kept certain non-violent offenders out of prison, expanded eligibility for parole, and provided more money to educate and train ex-offenders.
In the state of Louisiana, a staggering 1,094 people per 100,000 are in some form of incarceration. Edwards said in a statement, "For as long as I can remember, Louisiana reflexively responded to an increase in crime by putting more people in prison and keeping them there longer."
He added, "We've never been made safer as a result of that. There is no data to suggest that an increase in crime here was because of the reforms."
Among those pardoned and released by the outgoing governor was a man who was only seven hours from being given the electric chair for the April 1983 murder of a taxi driver. The inmate, David Rushing, was 18-years-old when he confessed to trying to rob a convenience store and a gas station. Instead of doing that, he called a cab and shot the driver, Danny Archer, dead.
Rushing was initially sentenced to death, but his lawyers successfully appealed, citing that there was prosecutorial misconduct and an ineffective defense during the trial.
Another inmate pardoned by Edwards was Anthony Riggins.
Riggins show and killed an unarmed 68-year-old shopkeeper, identified as Peter Davenhauer, in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna. Riggins was convicted of his crime in November 1977.
Another inmate who was recently pardoned was Venson Dean Vampran.
Vampran was found guilty of killing hitchhiker Mark Bass in October 1984 and raping the victim's wife, Susan Bass. Vampran was 25-years-old when he committed these heinous crimes.
Others released by the Democrat Governor in the last three months include those who have been convicted of aggravated arson, possession of Schedule II narcotics, aggravated kidnapping, theft, first-degree robbery, perjury, and armed robbery.
During the month of December, Edwards pardoned five inmates who were convicted of first-degree murder and 11 convicted of second-degree murder.
Edwards was elected into office back in 2016 after defeating Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 election for governor. He was re-elected to a second term in 2019, becoming the first Democratic governor to win a re-election in the state since 1975.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry was elected as Edwards replacement after securing over 50 percent of the vote threshold in an October primary. Edwards said that he is concerned that Landry, a Republican, would "undo his prison and justice reforms"
Landry reportedly campaigned on "locking more people up, cutting taxes, and reducing government regulation." He also pledged to force district attorneys to prosecute more people and seek tougher sentences for those convicted of crimes.
On his campaign website, Landry said that he intends to hire more police officers and empower them to make more arrests. He said in a statement, "We must close the revolving door of criminals who commit a crime, get caught, go to jail for a brief period, and re-offend. This cycle of 'catch and release' is unacceptable."
Edwards said that regardless, he is "proud" of his work over the last eight years. He said, "When I leave office, the state of Louisiana will be better than it was when I took office."
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Comments
2023-12-27T14:44-0600 | Comment by: Stephane
What goes around may come around.