JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
More outrage over the pardons of more than 200 inmates by former Governor Haley Barbour.
Late Wednesday evening a Hinds County judge granted a request from State Attorney General Jim Hood, who filed an injunction.
And for the first time since granting the pardons, former Governor Barbour issued a statement, saying people have misunderstood the clemency process.
He also says approximately 90 percent of these individuals were no longer in custody and a majority had been out for years.
He goes on to say the pardons were intended to allow them to find gainful employment or acquire professional licenses as well as hunt and vote.
Barbour also said half of the people who were incarcerated and released were placed on indefinite suspension due to medical reasons because their health care expenses were costing the state so much money.
But Attorney General Hood says the fight to keep the inmates behind bars is not over.
The national spotlight is back on Mississippi and it is shining brightly.
Former Governor Haley Barbour in one of his final acts, gave pardons, medical release or clemency to more than 200 inmates.
Among them David Gatlin convicted of murder in the shooting death of his estranged wife in Brandon.
State Attorney General Jim Hood went to Hinds County Court to stop the release.
Judge Tomie Green granted the temporary restraining order, blocking for now the release of 21 inmates.
"The only ones we're dealing with are those who were given a full pardon," Attorney General Hood said. "And that's where the Constitution requires that the Governor before he signs the pardon, he's got to be assured the convict has had that application in a local newspaper for 30 days prior to him signing it. We've found already that there are numerous cases where that did not occur."
Tomie Green is also the judge who sentenced Karen Irby.
Irby was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the deaths of two doctors in Jackson.
Irby was given conditional clemency and is scheduled to be released from prison and placed under house arrest.
"Mrs. Irby's case is just a suspended sentence, so she is not apart of this, just strictly those who were granted a full pardon," Attorney General Hood said. "There's a lot of them that were already out that received these pardons so there's gonna be probably 175 or so that we've got to go back through and look in every newspaper in those counties where those crimes occurred to go before the court to prove whether or not the publication was ever done."
Hood says a hearing is scheduled next week.
"We wanted to go be able to arrest them, but the law would not allow us to do that because they have a valid pardon until we prove that it is in fact invalid, so therefore we have ordered they report immediately to the Department of Corrections that they stay in contact with the Department of Corrections every 24 hours and that they appear in court," Attorney General Hood said. "Governor Barbour ought to be ashamed of himself for the action that he has taken releasing over 200 people."
The former Governor's statement also said some of those who were granted releases suffer from severe chronic illnesses, and are no threat to society but if they commit an offense, even a misdemeanor, they will be returned to custody to serve out their term.
Attorney General Hood says this situation is an absolute tragedy for the victims.
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