Mississippi AG Block Haley Barbour Pardons

Barbour pardoned a lot of people -- 208, many criminals of the worst sort -- and caught red Mississippi by surprise. One thing you generally count on Republican governors for is keeping murderers behind bars.

One snag, though: Part of the Mississippi Constitution specifies that all pardons must follow a 30 day period of notice, for public complaint and comment. Mississippi's AG says he can find no such notice, so the pardons are void, at least for now.

I wonder what happened here? Maybe people just didn't notice this part of the constitution and it's been ignored in practice for one hundred years? And now, in a frenzy to find some basis to challenge Barbour on the pardons, it's now found, hiding in plain sight?

Interesting. Check out this 8pm Update:

Mississippi Circuit Judge Tomie Green has temporarily blocked the release of 21 inmates who'd been given pardons or medical release by Republican Haley Barbour in one of his final acts as governor.

Thanks to @slublog.

posted by Ace at 09:36 PM

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