Huckabee: ‘I Feel Awful’ About Commutation, but Defends Decision
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee today said he feels “awful” about the fact that a man whose sentence he commuted appears to have gone on to kill four police officers. But, appearing on ABC’s “The View,” he also engaged in an extended defense of his decision — and of the power of governors to grant clemency to criminals. Though Huckabee, R-Ark., stressed the fact that he only made Maurice Clemmons parole-eligible, and did not grant his release, he said: “He got out, and now here we are nine years later, and this horrible, senseless, savage thing happens. And I feel awful about it. Of course I do.” “I was just going to say that I wished like anything that I had vision into the future, that I could have known that a person whose file I looked at nine years ago was going to end up doing something like this.” But Huckabee defended his decision: “I take responsibility for the commutation that I did nine years ago, but the commutation before me was not of a cop killer or a child rapist. It was a person who at age 16 was sentenced for 108 years, and that is a disproportionate sentence in my state for anyone who had ever done a crime like that. And he already had served 11 years of hard time.” He also engaged in an interesting discussion about the importance of executive clemency: “The easy thing to do, and frankly the political expedient thing to do, is to say no to every last one of them. That’s the easy thing. And you’ll always cover your rear end if you do that. Because nobody will ever say, ‘Oh you should have let these people out.’ ” “But the reason we have executive clemency in our system of justice is because there are sentences that are disproportionate, there are times when the justice system failed. And our Founding Fathers were smart enough to create checks and balances, so that no one branch of government was able to act independently of the other two.” Huckabee brushed aside any political implications, calling them “immaterial” in the context of the four slain officers. Asked if there’s any chance he appears on a national ticket in 2012, he responded: “You know, honestly, I don’t know. … First off we’ve got to make it through 2010. I mean, Barack Obama hasn’t even been president for one year. I mean good gosh, let’s not hurry this thing.”
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Why was he sentenced to 108 years for a bank robbery in the first place? Were there extreme acts of violence committed during that crime?
Posted by: Amy in Maine | December 3, 2009, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
It wasn’t one crime that he was convicted of but several(a article that I read said 8 crimes from B&E to armed robbery but doesn’t mention bank robbery) crimes which the sentences there of, the judge felt, should be by and large served consecutively.
Also Huckabee didn’t write a blank check for this guy either, he was supporting the opinion of the parole board: Excerpt from a story in the Seattle times 113009 “His clemency application was supported by Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Marion Humphrey, who cited Clemmons’ youth at the time of his crimes and called his cumulative sentence excessive. Clemmons’ release was unanimously approved by the parole board”.
Posted by: bobtherepublican | December 3, 2009, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
Thanks for the information, Bob.
A disturbing trend I have noticed in recent crime stories is the unwillingness of witnesses, neighbors, and family to contact police when they have information about a crime. It’s as if they are more afraid of what may happen to them if they “snitch”, then they are of the criminals. I think the communities where this happens need to address this attitude. (This doesn’t happen in Maine, thank goodness.)
Posted by: Amy in Maine | December 3, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
TELL “YOUR STORY” TO THE FOUR WIDOWS, & CHILDREN, THEY WILL RESPOND THE SAME WAY I DO…:”.TELL YOUR STORY WALKIN”IT IS ALL OVER FOR YOU ….AS SHOULD BE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: CC Pennes | December 3, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Sentences are given for a reason. We need for both, politicians, and parole boards, to stop turning loose the dangerous on the public.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | December 3, 2009, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
Sometimes forgiveness leads to death.
Posted by: Jenn | December 3, 2009, 5:31 pm 5:31 pm
I’ve followed this story closely, and after checking out several different sources of info (from varying places on the political spectrum), I’m more than satisfied with Huckabee’s explanation. The decision he made 9 years ago made sense at the time. He did not “pardon” the guy, or let him go; the parole board did. It’s more the fault of the Arkansas prosecutors who didn’t do their job, which resulted in the guy getting out of prison in Arkansas… and it’s more the fault of the two judges in Washington State, who set the bail so low on a child rapist.
I appreciate Huckabee appearing publicly, saying “I take responsibility.” Where are the members of the Parole Board who paroled the criminal? Where are the Arkansas prosecutors who didn’t do their job? Where are the Washington state judges who set the bail so low? I haven’t seen even ONE of these on television, explaining their part in this tragedy.
My heart goes out to the families of the slain heroes…but it wasn’t Huckabee’s fault.
Posted by: Megan | December 3, 2009, 8:41 pm 8:41 pm
“but the commutation before me was not of a cop killer or a child rapist. It was a person who at age 16 was sentenced for 108 years, and that is a disproportionate sentence in my state for anyone who had ever done a crime like that. And he already had served 11 years of hard time.”……… When he puts it this way it’s hard to argue.
Posted by: secondlook | December 3, 2009, 10:02 pm 10:02 pm
I used to live in Arkansas but left before he was Governor. I am a die hard Democract and have been since the first time i cast a vote. When I saw Mr. Huckabee on the View, I had to re-evaulate my opinion of him. I do believe he has a high sense of integrity. I thank him for standing by his decision 9 years ago. I believe him when explains his reasons for making the decision determine clemency. I may not agree with him politically, but I respect him as a human being. He made a mistake and that should not be held against him. Our leaders make decisions everyday. Some are right, some are wrong. A good leader owns up for the decisions they make and don’t make excuses.
Thanks Mr. Huckabee for your honesty, may God continue to bless you and your family.
Posted by: Robert | December 3, 2009, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
Violent criminals should never be released. Giving them second chances is choosing to risk that chance on innocent members of society.
Our government lets wackos go free to save money, period.
Posted by: larkin | December 4, 2009, 12:08 am 12:08 am
Violent criminals should never be released. Giving them second chances is choosing to risk that chance on innocent members of society.
Our government lets wackos go free to save money, period
———
I want tougher rules about bail. Once a person has been convicted of more than 1 violent crime, no bail should be set. Tough luck on staying in jail til trial, but a prior history makes the chance of re-offending while out on bail too great.
I also support full-term sentences……..but where the judicial system fails, there has to be a way to correct it. And judges and prosecutors loathe having to admit they were wrong.
That’s what happened here. A black youth commited multiple crimes, there is no argument about that. But the judicial system passed down excessive sentences for the crimes commited. 108 years for the crimes Clemmons was convicted of was excessive. Huckabee brought the sentences down to what he AND his advisors thought to be fair.
Clemmons was a young African American who got a raw deal in a southern state. Draw your own conclusions as to why his original sentences were so high.
Former Governor Huckabee, a white conservative Republican, knew what had happened, and decided to give Clemmons the justice he deserved instead of the raw deal he got.
Posted by: malcat | December 4, 2009, 6:22 am 6:22 am
Clemmons was a young African American who got a raw deal in a southern state. Draw your own conclusions as to why his original sentences were so high.
posted by malcat,
He got a raw deal did he,you liberal bleeding hearts are the reason there is so much crime in this country.He should have still be in prison in Arkansaw.Grow up and be responsible and quit making excuses for law breakers.
Posted by: Johnny L | December 4, 2009, 9:21 am 9:21 am
I sure do like this man, Mike Huckabee. I hope he runs in 2012.
Posted by: clacks | December 4, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am
I guess Huckabee is the first Governor to grant clemency to an individual who then commits a crime. Unfortunately this act will probably follow him to future campaigns. It will be fuel for those narrow minded liberals, and the anti-republican group of jerks.
Posted by: R. Ward | December 4, 2009, 11:36 am 11:36 am
Keep you Anti-Semitic Neo-Nazi sentiments to yourself and find something better to say or don’t say anything at all. Neither of you have any right blaming Liberals or Moderates for that ### to commit that crime in Washington State. Quick reminder: It was ONE OF YOUR OWN KIND Mike Huckabee-a Conservative-who freed him in the first place. A governor has that power alone, so quit blaming an entire society for what happened. This goes beyond making personal attacks on people online here. As a moderate, I’m not responsible for that jerk’s actions and that’s totally offensive coming from someone like you! Keep taking like that, and watch other moderates vote against your “kind” in future elections then you gonna wish you didn’t go that way.
Posted by: Guest | December 4, 2009, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
HUCKABEE JUST GOT HIS WILLIE HORTEN LABEL, TOO BAD,,BUT THE WA JUSTICE SYSTEM IS SICK….AND ANY PAROLE BOARD THAT BELIEVES IN THIS CRAP IS JUST AS BAD…ALL PRISONERS GET “JESUS” OR ALLAH,just to impress a parole board and get out, lock em up and throw away the key and if the sentence is over 40 years, hang em high…..now no one gets out…period, except in a box…
Posted by: boxedquad | December 5, 2009, 6:59 am 6:59 am