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[Trojita]

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikehayes/mike-pence-tells-wrongfully-convicted-man-he-wont-act-on-par?utm_term=.ob88znnw#.wxDONeek

After serving 10 years of a 40 year prison sentence for an Indiana armed robbery and attempted murder, Keith Cooper was freed when eyewitnesses recanted their testimony against him, new DNA evidence showed he wasn’t at the scene of the crime, and a jailhouse informant admitted that he lied to investigators.

Five years later, Cooper filed a pardon petition that, if it were granted, would make him the first person in the state’s history granted clemency based on a finding of innocence. When his request was presented to the parole board, they found unanimously that he should be pardoned and have the two serious felony charges wiped from his record.

Now, after waiting for more than two years for Governor Mike Pence to act on the board’s decision, Cooper has learned that the GOP vice presidential candidate won’t — unless Cooper can prove to the governor’s administration that all other judicial remedies have been exhausted.

“To our knowledge Mr. Cooper has not filed a petition with the courts in Elkhart County to determine whether post-conviction relief is available,” Gov. Pence’s general counsel Mark Ahearn wrote in a letter to Cooper this month.

Though Cooper is now out of jail, his felony conviction remains on his record — limiting his job opportunities and stripping some rights, like the ability to vote.

An Indiana Public Defender submitted a letter in Cooper’s petition to the governor for a pardon saying that by accepting a lesser sentence and withdrawing his post-conviction petition, Cooper was out of options with the courts to grant his innocence.

However, the Pence administration does not see this as proof that Cooper’s only option to have his conviction thrown out is the governor’s pardon.

What a piece of shit.

 

[The Artisan]

This is injustice.

 

[bronson]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

 

[Chie Satonaka]

Fucking WHY?!

 

[hydrophilic attack]

What a piece of shit.

i feel like him being a piece of shit shouldn't be all that surprising considering he is on a joint ticket with fucking donald trump

 

[Spring-Loaded]

Pence is pure shit and he been shit for a long time.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

His reputation as a piece of shit

 

[Caelus]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

Pardoning a black man isn't a good look for his base, nothing else matters. What a scumbag.

 

[Krejlooc]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

his pact with satan

 

[HvySky]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

 

[rjinaz]

Man of the people. Just like Trump.

 

[Black Republican]

damn.

 

[The Hamburglar]

Clicked the article and saw that cooper is black. Explains mikes attitude.

 

[rjinaz]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

The real question is, what's in it for Pence? Nothing? Checkmate.

Dude is Black, only a matter of time before he's arrested again, then who's on the line.

 

[Ryzaki009]

But why?

I mean...this is just...

Literally mustache twirling villainy.

 

[roknin]

Just... what the flying fuck man.

I can't even form words. What a piece of garbage.

 

[psynergylover]

Debate material incoming

 

[Trey]

Did this man get get paid for his wrongful conviction?

 

[call_kotaku]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Fuck you Mike Pence you homophobic racist piece of shit

 

[VendettaRed07]

Please may this come up in the debate

 

[Gordon Shumway]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

Who knows? When or what? I don't..

 

[Velcro Fly]

Will be voting for John Gregg who will hopefully take care of this fucking bullshit

Urge anyone in Indiana who is outraged at this to register and vote the same.

 

[BinaryPork2737]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

Gonna go out on a limb here and go with "thinly-veiled racism."

 

[GiantEnemyGoomba]

I hope everyone's favorite dad Tim Kaine brings this up in debate. Unless there's some info missing, there is absolutely no reason Pence should do this.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

What a tragedy. The least Pence could do is pardon an innocent man whose life was ruined.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Wonder if Tim Kaine will have something to say about this.

 

[gutter_trash]

how Evangelicaly Christiany on the part of the Governor

 

[Enzom21]

Fucking WHY?!

.

 

[shoreu]

Mr Keith Cooper should be very very rich after all of this shit is over

 

[Trojita]

You literally can't force a court to remove a conviction. The whole thing was bullshit and a lower sentence was accepted. He has literally no options but to request that the Governor as executive of the state to intercede for him.

 

[Nightbird]

is Cooper Black?

 

[rjinaz]

You literally can't force a court to remove a conviction. The whole thing was bullshit and a lower sentence was accepted. He has literally no options but to request that the Governor as executive of the state to intercede for him.

He likes wrongly convicted criminals that weren't caught.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

.

In hindsight, I suppose it was a stupid question. -_-

 

[whitehawk]

The bigger reminder here is that in America, those who commit crimes can't vote. That is injustice.

 

[BrutishMrFish]

is Cooper Black?

That was my first thought, too. And yes, he is.

 

[roknin]

The bigger reminder here is that in America, those who commit crimes can't vote. That is injustice.

This is extremely important to note. Makes this even more fucked up.

 

[Slayven]

His is black, he is probably guilty of something

 

[rjinaz]

Mr Keith Cooper should be very very rich after all of this shit is over

I sure hope so. There is nothing short of death that is worse that this nation can do to its own citizen.

 

[WedgeX]

If he can't pardon an innocent man then he doesn't deserve to be in American public life.

 

[Suikoguy]

Wonder if Tim Kaine will have something to say about this.

Kaine is smart, and the Clinton campaign very organized. I'd not be surprised at all to see it brought up.

 

[rjinaz]

The bigger reminder here is that in America, those who commit crimes can't vote. That is injustice.

Oh so he's just waiting for after the election. Makes sense, one less vote against Trump.

 

[Cat Party]

Mike Pence is a piece of shit.

I'm not sure this is actually proof of that. Sounds like the guy is supposed to go to court to have the conviction overturned, rather than seek a pardon.

 

[The Spoony Hou]

What a fucking piece of shit. This country, sigh...

The bigger reminder here is that in America, those who commit crimes can't vote. That is injustice.

But he's free right now...

 

[Tagyhag]

What the fuck does Pence have to lose here?

That's another democrat vote.

Shit like this should be illegal.

 

[rjinaz]

Mike Pence is a piece of shit.

I'm not sure this is actually proof of that. Sounds like the guy is supposed to go to court to have the conviction overturned, rather than seek a pardon.

Come on. I'm sure if it's that easy, it's the first thing he would have done. I'm sure he has a lawyer at this point. Sounds like he is getting the run around. Even if that's not the case, this man deserves a personal pardon

 

[Verelios]

No one can be this vile. I refuse to believe a person could be so revolting in the face of injustice. 10 years of an innocent man's life gone, 30 more because of sick pedantry.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Will be voting for John Gregg who will hopefully take care of this fucking bullshit

Urge anyone in Indiana who is outraged at this to register and vote the same.

Thank you, brother..

.

Same as it ever was..

No one can be this vile.

 

[ascii42]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

He's not in prison anymore. This is about getting it off his record. I don't get why there's an issue getting that done. Seems like it should be automatic in these cases.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

There is literally no reason for him to be against this. The man's innocent. What could possibly make Pence believe he should remain imprisoned? This might as well just be out of spite, which is utterly despicable.

He's not keeping him imprisoned, Cooper has been released. What he has been petitioning for is removing the conviction off his record. So long as it stays there he faces a lot of penalties for being a felon, which isn't fair because he provedly didn't do what he was convicted of. Regardless it's still a very shitty move.