Via Drudge: Colorado's governor on Friday pardoned a Cuban immigrant for an armed robbery he committed 19 years ago in an effort stave off the man's deportation after immigration authorities detained him following a judge's ruling that he should no longer be imprisoned.
The pardon from Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was the latest twist in the saga of Rene Lima-Marin, 38. He came to the U.S. as a toddler as part of the 1980 Mariel boat lift from Cuba and had legal residency until it was revoked following his 2000 criminal conviction. Lima-Marin was sentenced to 98 years in prison for the robbery. But he was mistakenly paroled from Colorado state prison in 2008.
Lima-Marin married, had a child and got a steady job installing glass before state authorities realized their mistake in 2014 and sent him back for the remainder of his 98-year prison sentence.
A Colorado judge earlier this week ordered Lima-Marin released from state prison, saying it would be "draconian" to keep him incarcerated. But before he could return to his family, immigration authorities picked him up, citing a still-active deportation order from 2000. His lawyers said a pardon was his only chance to stave off deportation.
Lima-Marin's case has become a bipartisan cause celebre in Colorado, as 98 members of the state Assembly, Democrats and Republicans, called on Hickenlooper to grant him clemency. Though the legal roots of Lima-Marin's deportation order stretch back to actions of the Obama administrations, his detention comes as the Trump administration has moved aggressively to speed up deportations, sometimes sparking clashes with local officials.
"This was a question of justice," Hickenlooper told an afternoon news conference. "This was a pretty clear example of someone who's done all the work necessary to earn a second chance."
It's unclear whether the governor's action will be enough to stop Lima-Marin's deportation.
"I'm not a lawyer," Hickenlooper said when asked whether the pardon would be enough.
The pardon from Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, was the latest twist in the saga of Rene Lima-Marin, 38. He came to the U.S. as a toddler as part of the 1980 Mariel boat lift from Cuba and had legal residency until it was revoked following his 2000 criminal conviction. Lima-Marin was sentenced to 98 years in prison for the robbery. But he was mistakenly paroled from Colorado state prison in 2008.
Lima-Marin married, had a child and got a steady job installing glass before state authorities realized their mistake in 2014 and sent him back for the remainder of his 98-year prison sentence.
A Colorado judge earlier this week ordered Lima-Marin released from state prison, saying it would be "draconian" to keep him incarcerated. But before he could return to his family, immigration authorities picked him up, citing a still-active deportation order from 2000. His lawyers said a pardon was his only chance to stave off deportation.
Lima-Marin's case has become a bipartisan cause celebre in Colorado, as 98 members of the state Assembly, Democrats and Republicans, called on Hickenlooper to grant him clemency. Though the legal roots of Lima-Marin's deportation order stretch back to actions of the Obama administrations, his detention comes as the Trump administration has moved aggressively to speed up deportations, sometimes sparking clashes with local officials.
"This was a question of justice," Hickenlooper told an afternoon news conference. "This was a pretty clear example of someone who's done all the work necessary to earn a second chance."
It's unclear whether the governor's action will be enough to stop Lima-Marin's deportation.
"I'm not a lawyer," Hickenlooper said when asked whether the pardon would be enough.
(Link to more)
13 comments:
I have not read every detail on this case, but I tend to agree with the pardon. I'm a little biased towards Cubans.
Hickenlooper pardoned Nathan Dunlap, the Chuck-E-cheeze mass-murderer, from the death penalty. I disagreed with that cowardly decision.
Honest Abe woulda strung him up.
The pardonee, stuck a rifle in someone's face while robbing him. His 2nd robbery. One of those robbed is not happy with the pardon. Go figure.
Of course, 90% of all felons vote Democrat. So there's that.
He was mistakenly paroled? How does that happen?
Some people call it robbery.
Some people call it multiple counts of kidnapping, burglary, aggravated robbery, and use of a deadly weapon during commission of a crime.
Free Charles Manson! He didn't kill anyone!
Another Democrat judging a person not on the content of their character.
Draco was misunderstood.
His partner in crime is still serving his 99-whatever year term because he was not accidentally pardoned like this guy. And he hasn't committed any crime since then either. Will the Governor review his case now too? Come on, Gov. You're all about fairness, no?
The whole thing is an issue because the State cannot keep their records straight and their prison system is whimsical. It really is whimsical. My bro did weekend time for a series of DWIs and my Dad was tired of bailing him out, he told me some weekends he'd report for jail time but was turned away because the jail was full. Or whatever. (Low point, introspected, became religious)
The Governor is saying, "Yes, yes, to all of that. Still, we see in the intervening time there is evidence the man is changed."
I noticed that comments over there at the article are 100% strongly against it.
The accidental pardon is troubling and f-ed up, I agree.
I was just talking to friend who lives in North Boulder and there are now 2 sexually violent predators in their community. One is a guy who was released from prison for a violent sexual crime. At one point he moved in with his mother who lives in east Boulder. The middle school nearby was alerted to the sexual predator living in the vicinity and parents were told not to let kids walk to school. (got that - kiddos cannot walk free because the sexual predator might be temped) (f*ked up right there) What happened next all happened around the year 2000/2001.
The guy goes over to the Gold Run Apartments early one morning and abducts a girl delivering newspapers. He tapes her mouth and her eyes shut and rapes her at gunpoint for an hour. He then pretends they are good friends (she wisely played along) and he dropped her off somewhere. She went straight to the police. They nab the guy and send him back to prison. Fast forward to now... this guy is out of prison. He's homeless, living in a north Boulder shelter (that isn't even open yet) and where-ever he can manage.
My friend and her neighbors are NOT happy.
what to do with him? Longer prison time. Is he rehabilitated? Do they even do that?
Lawyer is believed to be the first person convicted in Boulder County to be labeled a "sexually violent predator" — a designation given by judges or the parole board to certain sex offenders who exhibit personality traits authorities contend make them likely to commit further offenses.
"Designation....Likely to commit further offenses." Well now, that's great. Sounds like the perfect candidate for early parole.
"what to do with him? Longer prison time. Is he rehabilitated? Do they even do that?"
Kill him.
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