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Explaining the virtues of focused prisoner commutations in Michigan

By Douglas A. Berman

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's legal counsel has this notable new commentary in the Detroit Free Press, which is headlined "Prisoner commutations have been rare and safe for public."  Here is how it starts and ends: Last week, the Detroit Free Press reported on the clemency process and Gov. Jennifer Granholm's track record in exercising her constitutional authority to commute prison sentences ("Inmates released at record rate," Feb. 7).  The governor has exercised this authority sparingly. N inety-eight percent of commutation requests have been denied. Over the past seven years, out of more than 6,200 requests for commutations, the governor granted 124.  Many of the inmates granted commutations suffered from debilitating medical conditions, were terminally ill or medically frail, or were deportable to another country...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on February 14, 2010 (boomark / email).