What really happened with Dumond…
The Huffington Post article asserts that the Reeves account contradicts the Governor’s version when, in fact, everything Mr. Reeves describes corroborates Governor Huckabee’s statement on the issue, as quoted by Waas:
“This stands in stark contrast to Huckabee’s assertion, repeated at a press conference today that he “did not ask [the board] to do anything.” When asked directly about trying to influence the board, Huckabee responded: “No. I did not. Let me categorically say that I did not.”
“He never mentioned parole at that meeting,” says Mr. Reeves. “The Governor was talking about clemency.”On January 16, 1997 the Board took up a reconsideration of DuMond’s parole request and voted to grant parole with the stipulation that DuMond be paroled out of state.
The vote was as follows:
4 members voted yes. LeRoy Brownlee, Chairman; Fred Allen, Jr.; Ermer Poindexter; Railey Steele;
1 voted no. Dr. Charles Chastain.
There were 2 abstentions. Deborah Suttler and August Pieroni.That same afternoon the Governor denied the clemency request. He sent a letter to DuMond that has been widely reported saying, (excerpted):
“Dear Wayne, I have reviewed your applications for executive clemency, specifically a commutation and/or pardon. … My desire is that you be released from prison. I feel now that parole is the best way for your reintegration into society. … Therefore, after careful consideration … I have denied your applications.”
The Governor’s approach to the DuMond case has been consistent. As he expressed in the letter, he did believe that DuMond should be released from prison. However, he denied clemency/pardon FOUR TIMES. Even after the Board granted parole with the out-of-state stipulation, Governor Huckabee denied two subsequent clemency requests. DuMond could not find a state which would take him, so he remained in prison for TWO MORE YEARS. It was during this time that the Governor continued to deny him clemency.If the Governor was actively seeking to release DuMond, he could have easily done so by granting him clemency. He did not do so.
Finally, September 16, 1999 the Board, during a regular progress report on DuMond, dropped the out-of state condition for parole. The Governor took no action to promote this decision and did not know it was coming.
In October of that year, DuMond was released.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I’m in the process of reading and reviewing the report right now. I’ll let you know if it clears everything up.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Why is this filed under Romney when he isn’t even mentioned?
December 6th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
kevin,
I sometimes have to go back and change the wrong tags too. It’s probably a mistake.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
and the answer is not as far as he needed… he didn’t clear up a number of issues. He goes after Chastain, but there are four members who dispute Huckabee’s claims, including LeRoy Brownlee, who Huckabee reappointed in 2005.
I’ll post the thoughts later
December 6th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Even if all this comes out against HUck – will there be time to stop his MO – please sombody say yes.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
On September 20, 1996, Huckabee publicly announced his intention of commuting Dumond’s sentence based on the commutation given by Jim Guy Tucker, who had served as governor during Clinton’s presidential run and had overseen the case.[96] There was strong opposition to Huckabee’s plan from Dumond’s rape victims, women Arkansas legislators, and various law enforcement officials, leaving Huckabee in a difficult situation politically.[97][92][98] On October 31, 1996, Huckabee met privately with the parole board to talk about the Dumond case. On January 16, 1997, Dumond was granted parole, just five months after he had been rejected. Huckabee released a statement saying, “I concur with the board’s action and hope the lives of all those involved can move forward. The action of the board accomplishes what I sought to do in considering an earlier request for commutation …In light of the action of the board, my original intent to commute the sentence to time served is no longer relevant.”[92]
“They are saying that the Governor was trying to persuade them to grant parole,†said Reeves, “it was the other way around, they were trying to persuade him not to grant clemency.â€
So as I see it, Huckabee wanted to let him go without any supervision, but the parole board convinced him that if he was going to let this rapist go-he should probably have some supervision.
We’ll good thing they brought all this to light.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Tommy,
Are you sure about that?
“Later in January 1996, Brownlee denied that the governor had interfered with the vote and told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “This was the first time that Dumond had ever submitted a solid release plan.†He had told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal the same thing.” -http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=154e1aad-fd18-4efd-8d80-b5dab8559419
December 6th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
ALLISON HENSCHEL:
“Dear Gov Huckabee, I too am a Christian and agree with forgiveness. However, is there not also a CONSEQUENCE for actions? If the consequences have been set and the evidence still “stands” i.e. that a person is “guilty of the crime” then why is the CONSEQUENCE of any less value than when first meted? For sure, the life of the victim is of no less value…and that of their family and friends who must carry on – their lives FOREVER changed…in just one second. I sure hope and pray that the victim (whether living or in spirit) and family/friends/members of the jury have a voice in any case where a convict is considered for early release, clemency, etc. IN GOD WE TRUST ! In memory of David Henshaw who didn’t ask to be murdered!”
December 6th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
bjalder,
Incorrect. You have bad facts. Huckabee did not meet with the parole board to discuss this case, they parole board asked him to meet with them to get to know him as the new governor. During that meeting they, not he, brought up this case.
There were various factors, according to Huckabee, that made him decide against clemency. Long story short though, he did not want him released without supervision.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Mark, so everybody else but Huckabee is lying?
December 6th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
MArk,
I might have read that wrong. However, I can confirm from the author of the piece that Brownlee has not denied the board’s story.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
http://hotair.com/archives/2007/12/05/huckabee-on-dumond-the-parole-board-members-who-said-i-lobbied-them-are-lying/?print=1
December 6th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
That lunatic wanted clemency for a criminal in the same way he wants clemency for the terrorist in Guantanamo.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Huck’s former senior aide Butch Reeves defended Huck by saying, “They are saying that the Governor was trying to persuade them to grant parole,†“it was the other way around, they were trying to persuade him not to grant clemency.â€
That’s WORSE. Instead of trying to split hairs to make himself appear to be not responsible, Huck should just admitt that he really wanted DuMond released, and that it was a HUGH mistake on his part that lead to two rape/murders.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Bjalder,
“Everyone” isn’t lying. Huckabee’s story has been confirmed by his former aid. Additionally, if you read the report put out against Huckabee the testimony conflicts with itself. All me to demonstrate:
Notice the points from this article http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=154e1aad-fd18-4efd-8d80-b5dab8559419 :
“Pondexter said that she was unsure as to whether Brownlee had specifically mentioned Huckabee’s position while soliciting her vote for Dumond’s parole.”
Here the person does not know whether or not the Governor’s position was even mentioned.
““I signed the [parole] papers because the governor wanted Dumond paroled. I was thinking the governor was working for the best interests of the state. So I signed it.—
Here the person was doing what the Governor wanted, requiring that she knew his position… but how could she know his position if it was not mentioned?
““I thought that Mr. Brownlee was acting on behalf of the governor, and I was trying to support the chairman of the board, and I was trying to support the governor …”
Here the person “thought” that Brownlee was acting on the Governor’s behalf, but was plainly not certain. So she didn’t know if his position was mentioned, she wasn’t certain that Brownlee was acting on his behalf and yet she was trying to support the Governor without knowing if what he wanted was even mentioned or if for certain what Brownlee suggested in regard to how to vote was his position? Doesn’t add up.
All of this is within the matter of three consecutive sentences in the article.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
#12: Brownlee addressed the timing issue back in 1997. It was because it was the first time that Dumond provided a *”solid release plan.”*
December 6th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Mark,
From the same article
according to a spokesman for the parole board, Dumond had submitted a parole plan in August 1994, January 1995, and August 1995. The August 1994 and August 1995 plans include a request to move to Texas. Dumond did not submit any additional materials in support of his parole application between Aug. 29, 1996, when he was turned down for parole, and the board vote of Jan. 16, 1997.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Mark,
In 15, your twisting her quotes around as well.
Huckabee was known, as is accepted knowledge to support the release of DuMond, at the time.
If she misread Brownlee’s purpose, then that’s fine, but it was no secret at the State board the governors’ position on the matter.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I should just remind people here that Huckabee forgave (commuted and pardoned) more people than all six neighboring states combined. He also had a propensity of forgiving a greater percentage of murderers, rapists, and drunk drivers.
That doesn’t sit well with me. When it comes to rights of victims vs. rights of the lawbreakers, I would always side with the victims.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Tommy,
On #17. Notice the difference between ‘submitting a parole plan’ and ‘submitting a ***solid*** parole plan.”
On #18. I did change the order of the quotes, but that did not change the meaning. The conflict is exactly as I describe in my post and it is plain to anyone reading it. I just laid it out in a way that was easy to follow.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
There are similarities between this and the Willie Horton tragedy. One of the differences, however and one that makes Huckabee’s commutation even more insidious is the fact that Huckabee used religious/moralistic reasoning to commute Dumond and others. Dukakis was simply using flawed liberal social-engineering; which was easilly contraindicated with facts and research.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
In that case, Tommy, you concede that Huckabee is involved in no covering up of facts…which is the real issue here.
He’s dealt with…and has expressed deep-felt remorse for the the tragic event.
He’s weathered this in Arkansas…he’ll weather it here. He’s an honest person. That’s what the majority of Americans want…Red and Blue.
December 6th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
[...] Halperin clarifies the HuffPo piece vis a vis the issue of parole vs. clemency (H/T race42008.com). The Governor’s approach to the DuMond case has been consistent. As he expressed in the letter, [...]
December 6th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Joseph,
Huckabee did not commute his sentence.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Mark, you’re right. He didn’t commute DuMond’s sentence. I was commenting on the 700+ other pardons and commutations which Huckabee had given. I would like to know how many of those people killed (accidentally by drunk driving) or harmed other people as a result.
I am pointing to a policy Huckabee had and a pattern of releasing criminals with no regard to constitutional due process of a jury trial which is in place for the protection of the individual as well as the public.
This DuMond tragedy is horrible. He might have made one mistake. He might have had compelling evidence for him to go to the parole board and influence them to parole this rapist, but he seems to me to have a record of letting dangerous people out to kill again. The fact that he has declared that he will close guantanimo shows that he isn’t going to change anything about his policy of letting killers out to kill another day, and he isn’t being honest with THAT record.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
So what I learned in addition to being liberal like the Clintons Huck is a liar like the Clintons.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Joseph,
Have you actually considered the other situations case by case? Funny thing is that I decided to pick one and look it up. What I found.. the guy was already paroled and just waiting for the date for him to get out (about 2 months to go). Rather than make him wait 2 months he just let him out. Oh no.. soooo terrible. Please.
Huckabee very carefully considered the cases of all who were executed. He did so with greater detail than most others would. I have no doubt he treated these cases with the same care.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Lutie,
How you get the fact that what Huckabee said is CONFIRMED to be true to saying he is a liar is beyond me. Must take that special kinda smarts to figure that one out.
December 6th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
WHY IS THIS FILED UNDER MITT ROMNEY?????
December 6th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Did Huckabee have to install a revolving door on the prison?