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• Pendergrass, David

  12/15/2009 12:33 PM

  Mr. Huckabee did what he believed in his heart to be the right thing, which at the time I'm sure no one could have possibly forseen the consequences of.

• Mckee, Dreva

  12/11/2009 11:32 PM

  My father has Alzheimers. Mom heard on your peogram about a book for Alzheimers care book. Could you tell me how to find this book.
  Thank you Dreva Mckee

• Pantalone, Brett

  12/03/2009 04:59 PM

  I am one of "those people" but I'm not worried. If this incident does half the damage to Huckabee's career as Willie Horton did to Mike Dukakis, his failure is assured.

• Butt, Amanda

  12/01/2009 03:55 PM

  I agree that some are trying to diminish Gov Huckabee's poliical career. Why is that? Because they know Gov. Huckabee can win the GOP nomination and become President in 2012! It' important that we spread the truth! These people are worried. I just read an article today that was clear as day on wanting this issue to destroy Huckbee's politcal career.

  http://tiny.cc/0XCQX

  Please go leave your comments... tell the facts... support Gov. Huckabee.

• Linda Finkel

  12/01/2009 01:44 PM

  

  I am so angry with the way Mike Huckabee is being chastised over this. Not only are the liberals jumping all over it, the same conservative talk show hosts (Laura Ingraham) who hammered Mike Huckabee in the primaries, are hammering him again. Ingraham managed to get Tim Pawlenty to say that he never commutes a sentence (just as Mitt Romney said during the primaries).

  Politically, refusing to even look at commuting a sentence is the safest road to take. Then something like this will never come back to haunt you! Ethically, I think Huckabee taking a look at all the facts, taking into consideration the recommendations of the experts and doing what he felt was right shows a lot of compassion as well as indicating he took his job as Governor seriously!

  I've been behind Mike Huckabee since the early days of his presidential run and remain committed to him regardless of what both liberals and supposed conservatives have to say!

• RAHN, LEE RAHN

  12/01/2009 12:58 PM

  Isn't the public entitled to know (from Huckabee) the exact grounds for the parole so so the public can judge the involvement and reasons for Huckabee's decision. If his decision is based on a strong and credible recommendation, it may be justified.

• Amanda Butt

  12/01/2009 12:42 PM

  

  williams, hofnar:
  Why do you say that Mike missed the mark? He told the full story...took full responsibility with his role with Clemmons'. BTW, some are thinking that Gov. Huckabee wrote the above statement on this blog. It's not in first person because he didn't write it...it appears the PRESS TEAM did.

  Check the following out:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1jfMFSfuC4

  http://race42008.com/2009/11/30/why-blaming-huckabee-doesnt-make-sense/

  http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/huckabee_clemency_police/2009/11/30/292403.html?s=al&promo_code=9249-1

• Chung, Yoon

  12/01/2009 11:59 AM

  Gov Huckabee,

  I saw Fox O'reilly factor last night. Thank you for your explantion during the show. I am also glad to find out this morning the killer finally received a due penalty for the innocent lives lost. Again, Gov I hope and pray this incident won't affect your leadership for the county.

• Voter

  12/01/2009 11:45 AM

  

  Well, my respect for Tim Pawlenty has just gone down a few notches. Laura Ingram used her radio interview of Pawlenty to claw at Mike Huckabee, and Pawlenty used Huckabee's situation to advance his own political gain. All very unfortunate. For me, it says more about Pawlenty than it does about Huckabee. As discussed on GOP12.com

  Laura Ingraham had Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty on her show yesterday, and the talk show host quickly turned things toward one of T-Paw's potential rivals (audio here).

  
  LAURA: This guy [Maurice Clemmons] was just a complete disaster, and Governor Huckabee thought his age gave him a sense that it was time to grant him this clemency, and he was granted clemency.

  I just want to ask you, for the record, would you -- under these circumstances -- grant clemency to this individual or recommend that the pardon board grant clemency to a 17 year old with this history?

  PAWLENTY: No. On those facts, no, Laura, I would not. And in Minnesota, I don't think I've ever voted for clemency. We've given out pardons for things after everybody has served out their term, but again, usually for more minor offenses. But clemency -- certainly not. Commutation of sentence -- certainly not.

• Spencer, JS

  12/01/2009 11:02 AM

  I'm sure Gov. Huckabee is as disappointed as Pres. Clinton was on 9/11 after he passed on bin laden.

  Not suprising though that the left wants to use this to derail or diminish Gov Huckabee's political future.

• Buren, Louis

  12/01/2009 06:34 AM

  The liberals jumped on Hucks case right away, they are trying to use this criminals actions as a way to cripple Huckabee's chances at nomination in 2012.

  You can read more on my BLOG at:
  http://castateworker.blogspot.com

  We need you Huckabee! I still LIKE MIKE!

• gracepraying

  12/01/2009 05:18 AM

  

  This is a time, now, for praising God. We prayed for Governor Huckabee to be able to answer his accusers. He did an excellent job on Bill O'Reilly's show last night, humbly taking responsibility for his part, yet explaining so well the process that he went through in deciding to commute the sentence of Clemmens.

  We now need to focus as a country on where we have gone wrong in this case as well as others. I know that Governor Huckabee is a big admirer of Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship ministry, and he believes in helping save the souls of the lost prisoners who need Christ Jesus.

  I wonder just how many former prisoners who we will meet in heaven! One of the most fruitful areas of Christian ministry is indeed in our prisons, and thousands, if not millions, of people that are prisoners are indeed born again to a new life. Yet, there are always the imposters who take advantage of a "religious conversion" or experience.

  As others of you have asked here: Because one or two out of the many thousands of prisoners whose records Governor Huckabee was required to review was a failure, and he is blamed, how about the many successes? Is Mike also given credit for these wise decisions?

  As God's Word says, each of us must bear our own burden. Maurice Clemmens is now bearing the burden before God of how he turned away from the truth to take life. Governor Huckabee is bearing the burden for perhaps mistakenly giving a young, disadvantaged prisoner a break he thought was fair (to commute a sentence from over a hundred years to a more consistent 45 years) for Class B felonies. And, again, the innocent families of the slain policemen and woman are bearing the unfairness of man's hatred against man.

  But today I am again proud of Governor Huckabee for coming forward and showing great compassion and sorrow. If our country ever needed a genuinely modest and wise man to lead us, it is now.

  God is answering my prayers to make a good man into a great man. I am sorry it is so painful, Governor.

  GRACE, in Kansas, PRAYING
  

• 511 cunningham, lori

  12/01/2009 02:48 AM

  Yes everyone wants to run and judge a wonderful, honestman like "mike Huckabee" before they even get the facts first! At least Mr Huckabee came on live TV to explain the situation, not like the Pres and all the other liberals who lie and "cover up" their mistakes!
  As soon as I heard the media break the story and was putting Mike down, it hurt me to hear them talking about this wonderful man that we all love, believe in, and strongly support! I still believe that Mike is our ONLY hope to make change our country into what it should be!
  My heart goes out to Mike and his precious family and I pray God will continue to strengthen them and bless them!
  We love you Mike!

• JULIEE 4 HUCKABEE, CA

  12/01/2009 01:13 AM

  

  OH, PLEASE!!! HOW CAN ANY ONE CAST BLAME???!!!

  Governor Huckabee had to make the difficult decision of commuting the sentence of a 16 year-old boy, whose crimes did not even remotely resemble the crimes he later committed. He made that decision based on the recommendation (5 to 0) of the parole board, and the recommendation of the attending Judge. ONLY GOD, could forsee the future crimes this boy would ultimately commit 19 years later!

  It is very nice to see so many voices of reason here at Huck*PAC!!

  I will be praying for the families and friends of the fallen Police Officers. I will also be praying that Gov. Huckabee will not feel that he is in ANY way responsible for this tragedy.

  God Bless!

  HUCKABEE 4 PRESIDENT, 2012!
  America Needs You!!!

• Stewart, Jonathan

  12/01/2009 12:57 AM

  First and most important,my thoughts and prayers are the familiesof the heroic officers slain in this horific crime! Now, I hope someone remembers that there is a Huge difference between commuting a sentence and granting a weekend pass to a currently incarcerated convict! Unless of course you are a member of the liberal media!

• Poorveldt, Angela

  12/01/2009 12:36 AM

  I live near the town where this horrible crime was committed. I am a democrat, and although I wouldn't vote for Mike because of our political differences, I have always respected him as a man of good character. He should not bear all the blame, as this was the result of several bad decisions. But he should take responsibility for his role in this tragedy, admit he was one of those who made a mistake, and apologize to our community and the officers' families. Mike writes "He was recommended for and received a commutation of his original sentence..." He received a commutation? Interesting use of the passive voice. How about "I chose to commute his sentence, as was recommended by..." What bothers me most reading these comments is knowing what a bunch of hypocrites some of you are. If a democratic governor was involved, you would be using your God to condemn them and smear their names. People are only asking for him to take responsibility for his part. An apology would be the Christian thing to do and the people of Washington are waiting. What is written here sounds cowardly. Mike, I'd like to continue to respect you, and I trust you will do the right thing.

• Patriot 4America

  12/01/2009 12:14 AM

  

  Gov. Huckabee/et al: God says "Be still,and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 Peter Scofield

• Tami Miller

  11/30/2009 11:59 PM

  

  I have to believe that Governor Mike Huckabee commuted Mr. Clemmons' sentence for a crime committed as a 16 year old partly because of his belief in a loving, grace-giving and forgiving God. As long as the world does not understand Christians and the grace of a loving God they will not understand why Huckabee made such a decision. Had I been in then Governor Huckabee shoes at that time I hope that I would have made the same decision for commutation. Mr. Clemmons was a 16 year old boy who had not committed a violent crime and who had a future ahead of him.

  Mr. Clemmons can still receive God's grace, but he must now face the consequences of his crime. Unfortunately the consequences he should have faced when he violated his original parole did not happen (not a decision under the control of Gov. Huckabee) This is where the system failed Mr. Clemmons - no he did not fail the system - sadly the system failed him. There is no possible way that then Governor Huckabee could have known of the possible future negative actions of Mr. Clemmons.

  I commend Gov. Huckabee for the decision he made in 2000 on behalf of Mr. Clemmons. It is the system since that time that has failed Mr. Clemmons.

  Mr. Clemmons needed a firm hand of discipline - not out of hate, but out of love. He still had 40+ years to serve under his commuted sentence, but he was paroled shortly after. Had this firm hand been delivered and the consequences of his bad choices been put upon him from the time he violated his parole I truly believe these police officers would still be alive today. Because of political correctness and now so-called "hate" laws our hands are tied behind our backs when it comes to discipline and giving out consequences. This is where the system failed Mr. Clemmons.

  My prayers are with the families of the deceased and honored police officers. My prayers are also with Mr. Clemmons. May they all find the grace of a loving God at this time.

• September Dawn

  11/30/2009 10:52 PM

  

  Ben Dribus: Particularly agree with your last paragraph on how the media treat Mike.
  Captain Obvious: Dittos, Sir.
  Just saw Mike on O'Reilly. That's enough explanation for me. Mike Huckabee always tries to do the right thing and he always steps up to the plate.
  We as a nation can only be so lucky if we get him as our President in 2013.
  The drink of choice in my family from now until the 2012 election is TEA and our political passion is FAIRTAX.

• SarahAnn

  11/30/2009 10:01 PM

  

  
  I think the man that committed the murders is the main one responsible.. But maybe, if the first Judge had not gave him such a harsh sentence, it might have made a differance in the life of this man.

  The Arkansas Judge must have felt bad about it, since he asked Gov. Huckabee to commute the sentence...

  It does seem that if a person is not a criminal when they go into prison, they will be by the time they get out.. But, I know you cannot let them roam the streets, either...

  The Criminal Justice System is far from perfect but, it is a lot better than any of the other countries...

  My heart goes out to families of the police officers.. May God bless them all and help them through this troubled time.. I hope they find the man that murdered them soon, and I hope no one else is killed, or hurt...........

  I hope the left will not try to use this against Gov. Huckabee.. I was so proud of him as he explained what happened on OReily, tonight...

  May God Bless America , Again...

• Captain Obvious

  11/30/2009 09:04 PM

  

  Thanks to Ben Dribus and Grace Praying and all others who responded thoughtfully--as might have been predicted, people are crawling out of the woodwork to condemn Governor Huckabee for this criminal's actions. The media will of course take advantage of this rare opportunity to criticize him--surely more fun for them than simply trying to ignore him out of existence (which won't work, btw.)

  Mike Huckabee is our best and brightest. He is also a fallible human being without supernatural knowledge of the future. There is no one in public life more worthy of our trust and support. And there is no one we can trust more to make the right decision based on current fact and knowledge. Then and now. No one.

• Sanders, Loren

  11/30/2009 09:04 PM

  The fact that the press and a number of politicos leapt forward so quickly to point fingers back to Huckabee is as disgusting as it is disingenuous. The lefts President is failing miserably on all fronts, and they are already scared to pieces about losing the White House again in 2012, so they pass up no opportunity to defame any way they can any person they see as a potential threat to Obama's re-election run. The list of threats obviously includes Mike Hucakbee as well as Sarah Palin and others.

  I applaud Huck's stance to not play this horrible situation for politics as so many are racing to do, but I also encourage him to not let this back him off in any way from pursuing his current direction of working to propel conservatives into office across the nation, nor from pursuing any future political office himself - be that another run at the presidency or just local legislature.

  America needs men of Huckabee's character willing to serve our country now more than ever before in my lifetime. There was only one perfect and infallible man who ever walked the face of the earth, none of us measure up to that mark, but Huckabee measures up to any mark put forth by human standards.

  Keep fighting Huck, and God bless!

• Darrin Cline

  11/30/2009 08:38 PM

  

  As so many are so quick to judge, do we know the circumstances of the man's original conviction? Or clearly understand what actions were taken in Arkansas?

  First of all, Gov. Huckabee did not PARDON this man nor did he release him on parole. He COMMUTED his sentence - which means he reduced his sentence from around 100 years to 47! - he did not free him. The Arkansas parole board made the decision to free him (apparently one is eligible for parole after just serving a small portion of the sentence), not the Governor, although the commutation did make him eligible for parole. (By the way, regarding Huckabee's large number of commutations, unlike most states, if I remember correctly from previous discussions during the primaries, every prisoner's case in Arkansas is brought up for review; many of the commutations seem very reasonable and over 99% of the reviews did not result in commutation.)
  
  But what were the circumstances of the commutation? The young man was 16 when he committed the crimes he was sentenced for at 17. From what I can find from what I believe to be reliable sources, they were as follows:(please correct if anyone finds additional info)

  1.Robbery of cell phone and house appliances from unoccupied house
  2.Robbery of purse off of a woman without the use of a weapon
  3.Possession of a firearm

  All appear to have been non-violent crimes. The original sentence made the punishments to run consecutively (added together) instead of concurrently (simultaneously), which is common practice in many legal cases. At the request of the parole board, it is my understanding (CNN article) that what Gov. Huckabee did was change the sentences to run concurrently, meaning he was still sentenced to 47 years in prison for three non-violent crimes (from what I have found) committed as a 16 year youth.

  Download official Arkansas court and clemency documents behind this post at:
  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2009/11/30/2010388798.pdf
  ____________

  As a society, perhaps we need to come to terms with human imperfection. We are ready to find fault, sue, and/or destroy someone's reputation at any sign of imperfection. I believe we would be a lot better off as a society if we weren't so determined to find fault in every action. Should Gov. Huckabee, after having made a seemingly reasonable judgment, be held responsible for the actions of this young man?

  Or perhaps we should determine that all juvenile offenders should be forgotten and thrown away. If we believe in redemption and rehabilitation, we also have to recognize that there will be some who continue their pursuit of crime. What is better, to have a system that attempts to help transform criminals into contributing members of society - or one that offers no opportunity?

• Warren, Tiny

  11/30/2009 07:56 PM

  akprayingmom.. you said it perfect as i would of, if i had been good with words,.. ty for posting that.

• williams, hofnar

  11/30/2009 07:51 PM

  Wow, Mike, I just find this to be disappointing. I would expect for somebody of my party to stand up and address this thing head on otherwise we are all just a bunch of Bill Clintons. If we are to gain our moral leadership in the Republican Party it will be through having Moral leaders who are at a minimum, tough on the evildoers that are destroying our country. Mike has missed the mark.

• Matt Smith

  11/30/2009 07:38 PM

  

  I still like Mike.

• Kledzik, Pat

  11/30/2009 07:36 PM

  Gov. Mike,
  My heart goes out to the slain Washington officers and their families. I'm sure you felt you had good reason for the commutation. Things always don't work out as planned, and this plan went awry. I just want you to know that I'm behind you 100%. You're a good man and I don't think you'd make that sort of decision lightly. We'll pray for capture of this individual and for peace within your heart.
  

• Brutus, Lindsey

  11/30/2009 07:29 PM

  

  This just shows that you aren't perfect Mike! (Like you didn't know!) Anyway, I accept your gracious apology and so will the American public Mike. If you make a mistake admit it and move on. Our new president could use a lesson about this judging from his reaction to the "professor and police officer incident". Did he ever apologize?

• Wagner, Robert

  11/30/2009 07:27 PM

  Gosh Huck.

  Hope this doesn't come back to haunt you.

• Jacoh, Walter

  11/30/2009 06:53 PM

  Count me as among the disappointed that Mike didn't accept a greater degree of responsibility in this case. Many decisions that must be made by a Governor are difficult, but I expected more.

• Warren, Tiny

  11/30/2009 06:02 PM

  First of all Gov. Huckabee didn't pardon a cop killer! ..20 years ago, wasnt it a robber?? well who can foresee the future, Look at all the people thats been pardoned or whatever , then went on to commit more crimes! If we had foresight well wouldnt that be great! but we don't...

• SC - Texas Strong

  11/30/2009 06:01 PM

  

  To everyone who has commented, pleased tune in and watch the O'Reilly interview tonight on Fox News. I believe it will allow Mike to explain the facts and circumstances and we should be in prayer for him. I also pray the MSM will not rush to judgement but report the facts honestly without unfair political bias.

• kennedy, karen

  11/30/2009 05:40 PM

  i am so sorry for the families of the police officers slain, however why do we always want to blame some on else. i do not believe for a moment that mike huckabee is responsible for what this man clemmons has done. GOD bless mike

• Wahl, Bill

  11/30/2009 04:34 PM

  AP indicates that Huckabee issued
  1,033 pardons & commutations during
  his time as governor,one every four
  days. This is more than the 3 previous
  ones combined. Its a wonder there has
  not been a criminals for Huckabee
  Pac started!
  

• Dr. David

  11/30/2009 03:47 PM

  

  Ben Dribus 11/30/2009 01:15 PM is right again. Period.
  

• Patton, Andrew

  11/30/2009 03:09 PM

  Heavy Heart, if you had your way, Border Agents Ramos and Compean would still be in jail. Pardon power exists for a reason- it grants the executive branch a check on an overzealous judicial system. Having heard what the crime was- armed robbery- I can honestly say I'd have done the same thing as Governor Huckabee. Holding up a store does not merit spending the rest of your life in jail as long as everyone got out of it alive. If it had been my call, I'd have commuted the sentence to 20 years, and there is nothing a governor can do about a parole board proceeding to release a prisoner early. Perhaps the legislature needs to pass a law stating that all early releases need to be signed by the Governor, or something to that effect.

• Collorafi, Julie

  11/30/2009 02:59 PM

  Praying for all involved in this tragedy.

  After following Mike Huckabee's career with great interest and having read his books and his speeches and watched many interviews with the Governor, and having the greatest admiration for his personal integrity and character, I am convinced that the Governor did not act lightly in granting parole to the suspect and was sincere in his convictions; who can ask for more than that?

  Amanda is right that the suspect, if he is indeed the killer, ultimately bears the responsibility for this heinous act and no one else.

• Lewis, Marjorie

  11/30/2009 01:58 PM

  Maurice Clemmons, the 37-year old suspect was recently charged in Washington state with assaulting a police officer and second-degree rape of a child. Using a bail bondsman, he posted $150,000 — only $15,000 of his own money — and was released from jail last week. The court required Clemmons to wear a locater band -- which Clemmons removed. Washington state must bear the responsibility for the judge's decision to release this obviously dangerous and psychotic man.

• Dr. David

  11/30/2009 01:54 PM

  

  To those who are looking for reasons to condemn Mike Huckabee because YOU have a guilty conscience, go remove the beam from your own eye before you try to remove the speck from your brother's.

• Heart, Heavy

  11/30/2009 01:41 PM

  I have no doubt that Gov. Huckabee would have NEVER granted clemency to this deeply disturbed individual, had he known what the future had in store. How could he have known? With that being said, I believe that NO ONE, especially politicians, should be allowed to use the power of their office to commute a sentence or give clemency to a CONVICTED criminal. These individuals, who have been found guilty by a jury of their peers, are properly and legally sentenced to answer for the crimes to which they have been found guilty of. I know our legal system is not perfect, but it does work and the practice of commuting prison sentences and granting clemency has got to STOP, and this tragic incident is a prime example of why. My thoughts and prayers are with the slain officers' families, the Lakewood Police Department and the entire Lakewood community and I'm deeply sorry for their loss.

• Ben Dribus

  11/30/2009 01:15 PM

  

  Before Clemmons was even an official suspect, the media was blaring out Mike Huckabee's name in association with this crime. The fact that Huckabee's commutation was for a crime Clemmons committed as a juvenile, and that Clemmons has been arrested and released multiple times since, was barely mentioned. The message is clear: no one in the criminal justice system who failed to lock up Clemmons for much worse crimes committed as an adult over the past ten years is responsible for these murders. Nor is Clemmons responsible. No,no, no. Only Mike Huckabee is responsible, because he followed the recommendation of the parole board and didn't throw away the key on a man who had committed armed robbery as a teenager and had already served a longer sentence than many people do for murder.

  One thing we can be sure of: if others among the 1000+ people Mike Huckabee pardoned during his many years as Arkansas governor are comitting serious crimes, the media will make sure we know. All but a few of these people are probably living normal and productive lives. While the murder of four people is a terrible tragedy, would it not also be a tragedy for 1000 people with the potential to be productive members of society to be rotting in prison because of wrongful convictions, crimes committed as teenagers, life sentences for nonviolent crimes, and the like?

  We have heard about this one gruesome crime, made more gruesome by its use for political purposes. What about the 1000 stories of redemption?

  It is never to a governor's political advantage to pardon people. Those who are calling on Huckabee to "admit his mistake" are falling for the media's selective use of facts. For what do you fault the governor? Is is for shortening a sentence of 95 years for robbery committed at the age of 17, or inability to predict the future? Should he really have kept the other 1000 behind bars?

  One last observation: to the media, Mike Huckabee is "former pastor Mike Huckabee" whenever his political future is being discussed. He is only "former governor Mike Huckabee" when they can stick him for anything done by any citizen of his state during or after his tenure.

• Michael Ranson

  11/30/2009 12:52 PM

  

  Thank you “gracepraying” for your words of kindness and wisdom.

  This is a tragedy and it is clear that one single person holds the entire burden of responsibility. Is it possible that our legal system has failed our citizens in its process? It most certainly is. I look forward to learning more about how we as citizens can help to better prevent these types of crimes in the future. We owe it to the slain officers and their families to identify and correct the mistakes that may have been made. I look forward to learning more and clearly understanding the role that Gov. Huckabee played in this process. I am confident in the Governor’s honor and I am certain that he will work to resolve all concerns that arise due to the cowardly actions of the accused.
  

• Washington State, Seattle Police Officer

  11/30/2009 12:30 PM

  I am a police officer in Seattle and live in Lakewood. This past month has been incredibly horrific for our communities. I sadly have become accustomed to the fact that we work for a system that turns our efforts into a farce and a comedy of errors by employing a catch and release attitude. I and my fellow officers (including DOC) feel betrayed and devalued. But we will do our jobs, not for the system but for the citizens.

• Chung, Yoon

  11/30/2009 12:23 PM

  I agree with Amanda. I hope and pray that this incident won't distract Gov's run for Yr 2012. Gov Huckabee is a great leader and communicator. He gives me a great hope for this county and I will vote for him again should he decide to run.

• Greer, Mark

  11/30/2009 12:04 PM

  I agree with Amanda Butt. It is truly sad that some here, who claim to be supporters, are the first ones to throw him away and deem him unfit to serve again. It is amazing that some Christians are the quickest to pass judgement and condemn Mike for this terrible tragedy. I encourage everyone to pray for the families and HONESTLY reflect on the situation. People should stop trying to make Mike the scapegoat like Clark Ho's comment below illustrates. I'm truly thankful that God is not so quick to throw us away and condemn us when we ourselves miss the mark...

• Glass, Keith

  11/30/2009 12:03 PM

  We as a people / nation try to hold everyone responsible except the person or persons that committed the act. We are not holding criminals accountable for thier crimes. Pardon and Parol should be closed nation wide and the money spent on staff,prisons, and wastelands to build them on. I understand all of us make mistakes, but we very rarely arrest first timers. We seem more concerned with the rights of criminals than the safety of our public. We are even more concern with the rights of TERRORISTS, than the needs of our military serving in combat zone.

• Ritterbush, Jon

  11/30/2009 11:50 AM

  ...before jumping to conclusions, it's important to keep in mind several things:

  1. Clemmons is a suspect, but not necessarily the perpetrator of this heinous crime.

  2. Clemmons' release was approved by the Ark. Parole Board.

  3. Unnamed Ark. prosecutors, given an opportunity to press new charges against Clemmons between 2001 and 2004, dropped them.

  4. Clemmons was released from prison in Washington state, even though he faced additional felony charges. Bail had been set at only $150,000.

  Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010385617_webmansought29.html

• Snyder, Barbara

  11/30/2009 11:31 AM

  I think that a commuted sentence should be revoked by the GOVERNOR that commuted it when a subsequent violation occurs. If only a Gov. can commute a sentence, he should be responsible for the doings of the convicted. I think the world of Mike Huckabee, but he should have kept tabs on this guy. Who else has he or other Governors commuted sentences for?

• Schilleci, Gayle

  11/30/2009 11:31 AM

  This is so sad. My thoughts & prayers are with the families & friends of these officers. Many years ago I lost a friend I'd grown up with, who was a policeman, to a shooting. He was going to a bank robbery & got shot in the face. His family never got over it. This brings back painful memories.