Jan 16, 2014

Scott Walker and One Marine

Disposable Humans - Eugene Higgens
Update: Readers wishing to help this Marine can follow this link.

"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."
- Abraham Lincoln, address in Washington D.C., 1865

Eric Pizer is a decorated combat Marine (2000-2004) from southwestern Wisconsin, He chose the Marines out of idealism and a commitment to serve.

Now, Pizer lives in Madison. After completing an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice he wants to serve with the Madison Police Department, back home from two tours in Iraq, safe with his wife and two kids.

Pizer's dedication to his unit in combat—a commitment honed to degree most of us will never attain—makes Pizer an ideal candidate to join the Madison Police.

Two obstacles stand in Pizer's way: Grant County (Wisconsin) District Attorney Lisa Riniker and Asst DA Anthony Pozorski (to be candid, rogue jurists and hopeless dolts ) and Gov. Scott Walker.

This is because Pizer, two days after his return from to Boscobel, Wisconsin, was ludicrously charged with criminal assault one evening, and was then represented by an attorney who should have proven that Pizer lawfully engaged in crime prevention. Poor attorneys are common; and so are obtuse district attorneys. 

Eric Pizers are rare.

Here's a summary from Pardon Eric Pizer:
Two days after his return from Iraq, Eric was on leave back in Wisconsin and he and two friends from high school went to Boscobel (Wisconsin) to visit the cousin of one of the friends. Together they went to a local bar to play pool. One of the friends became friendly with a woman the cousin knew and she returned with them to the cousin’s house to play cards. The woman’s husband and a friend of his then appeared at the house shortly after midnight and he and his friend aggressively threatened Eric and his friend. When they would not stop the aggressive behavior and the husband suddenly approached Eric from the side, Eric reacted and struck him once, breaking his nose.

That is the size of the felony "crime" that now prevents Pizer from serving as Madison Police Officer.

Pizer needs a pardon from Scott Walker, or a stipulation from the Grant County District Atty vacating this felony to which Pizer's past attorney foolishly advised a no contest plea.

The problem with Scott Walker is his bizarre and stubborn refusal to grant pardons—inexplicable; though the five Wisconsin governors prior to Walker issued more than 800 pardons combined.

Only Scott Walker has the power to to grant pardons.

Wisconsin Constitution [Article 5, (Section 6)] Pardoning power - "The governor shall have power to grant reprieves, commutations and pardons, after conviction, for all offenses, except treason and cases of impeachment, upon such conditions and with such restrictions and limitations as he may think proper ... He shall annually communicate to the legislature each case of reprieve, commutation or pardon granted, stating the name of the convict, the crime of which he was convicted, the sentence and its date, and the date of the commutation, pardon or reprieve, with his reasons for granting the same."

The point of this citation of the Wisconsin Constitution is to alert readers to an injustice, and get folks to act.

Eric Pizer wants to serve and protect with the Madison Police, we need him.
I think Eric Pizer is wrongfully convicted and in any event deserves justice, specifically a pardon.

Back in the 19th century, in England no less, correcting an injustice inflicted by the judiciary was seen as a moral imperative:

"There is no safe path for judges to tread but to ascertain the law to the best of their ability and to declare it according to their judgment; and if in any case the law appears to be too severe on individuals, to leave it to the Sovereign to exercise that prerogative of mercy which the Constitution has intrusted to the hands of the fittest to dispense it."
- 14 Q.B.D 273 (1884)
The "prerogative of mercy," don't turn away from this one, Governor Walker.

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