By Shannon Young
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — In his five years as Massachusetts’ chief executive, Gov. Deval Patrick has been careful to avoid the political pitfalls that come with the power to grant clemency, by denying the one petition that has cleared enough hurdles to make it to his desk.
The Democratic governor has also taken measures to strengthen the clemency process.
Upon taking office in January 2007, he revised clemency guidelines to encourage petitioners to seek “other avenues” to clear their criminal records, like having them sealed, among other changes. He also nominated new parole board members — a majority of whom came in a move he said was intended to restore public confidence in the system after a parolee shot and killed a police officer in 2010.
Under the Massachusetts constitution, governors can grant pardons, which forgive an offender’s underlying offense, and commutations, which modify inmate sentences, in “exceptional circumstances.”
But before that can happen, petitions must first be reviewed and approved by the seven-member Massachusetts Parole Board, which serves as the Advisory Board of Pardons.
The Governor’s Council makes final actions on pardons and commutations.
In Patrick’s time as governor, over 280 pardon and 220 commutation petitions were filed in Massachusetts.
Just one, a commutation request for convicted murderer Arnold King, made it to Patrick’s desk, only to be denied.
Patrick said while he strongly believes in redemption and rehabilitation, King’s underlying conviction was too egregious to warrant a change in sentence.
No recommendations for pardons have reached his desk since he’s been in office.
Meanwhile, Patrick’s predecessor, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, received 15 recommendations for pardons and three for commutations from the Parole Board.
He granted none during his four years as Massachusetts governor. More than 170 pardon and 100 commutation requests were filed during this time.
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