Gov Evers Remains Mush on Pardons

Madison, Wisconsin — News that Gov. Tony Evers (D) will issue four pardons on October 7 belies the scope of Wisconsin's criminal injustice system, (AP).

Reports Scott Bauer, AP:

Gov Evers plans to pardon Eric Pizer, Kevin Sorenson, Mwangi Vasser and Steven Nichols on Monday, Oct 7.  ...

The pardons come less than a week after Evers received a request from Brandon Dassey, one of the subjects of the 2015 Netflix series 'Making a Murderer.' Dassey is serving a life sentence in the 2005 slaying of Theresa Halbach. Evers had said he would consider the application, even though Dassey does not meet the qualifications Evers set for pardons. His rules call for instantly disqualifying anyone who’s still serving their prison sentence.

Evers as governor is vested with the constitutionally unqualified power to grant pardons, Article V, Section 6 of the Wisconsin Constitution. This is Evers' decision alone. So, don't let Evers fool you, rules and procedures are advisory.

Evers could correct the grotesque injustice of the Brendan Dassey's conviction Monday as well with a stroke of a pen.

Evers could begin a major program of deincarceration, ala Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner on Monday.

From CBS News:

'The oath is to seek justice,' Larry Krasner said. 'When somebody sits in a jail cell for a crime they did not commit, that is an injustice.'

The former public defender assumed the top prosecutor job in 2018. One of his first missions was to beef up the Conviction Integrity Unit to investigate legitimate claims of wrongful convictions.

'There was a culture at various times of win at all cost,' said Krasner. 'And if that meant that you were gonna take the document that suggested there was a different suspect, a document that the Constitution requires you, as a prosecutor, to turn over to the defense, and you were gonna shred it, you did. And then there was a separate issue with certain detectives, and everybody who was in the system knew about it.'

In his first week in office, he fired 31 employees.

'I did not enjoy it, but it was necessary to do,' he said. 'Especially as I see these exonerations happen, and guess whose names just keep coming up for having been involved in convictions of innocent people?'

Tony Evers' window dressing on the obscenity of wrongful conviction, police corruption, and mass incarceration is an insult.

Help this Marine by Voting for Mary Burke

Update: The Plight of Eric Pizer and Scott Walker's Contempt for Veterans. (Simpson, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

"Eric Pizer, a former Marine who served in Iraq, is blocked from a law enforcement career because of his felony battery conviction," (Barry, NYT) by hick prosecutors in Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin.

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 City of Madison Police.

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

Tony Galli WKOW TV (Madison) interviewed Scott Walker about Pizer and Walker's response is typical Walker.

Walker said since there are 1,000s of good cases for pardons and commutations in Wisconsin, it follows that not a single pardon and commutation should be granted.

Walker's quote (from WKOW's Galli) is: "If you pick one [to be pardoned] there's thousands of other examples out there of people who may not have the media or other outlets behind them, who would be in an equal position who probably have a compelling case to be made that we don't yet know about."

Here are Pizer's words:

I guess we should expect contempt for veterans from Scott Walker; this is the same fool who uses veterans as props and then appoints people to non-profits for veterans, people who embezzle from veterans. Two longtime Walker aides and appointees—Tim Russell and Kevin Kavanaugh—were appointed to non-profit veteran organizations meant for families of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, from which Russell and Kavanaugh looted $10,000s with no Walker apology and no Walker accountability. This is the same Scott Walker who wants to desecrate the sacred and final resting place for many of our deceased veterans, an underreported story by this twerp Wisconsin calls governor.

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."

Scott Walker's Contempt for Veterans Gets NYT Coverage

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker explains
why he has granted no pardons to incarcerated
citizens with compelling cases.
"If you pick one there's thousands of other
examples out there of people who may not
have the media or other outlets behind them,
who would be in an equal position who
probably have a compelling case to be
made that we don't know about,"
said Walker in an interview with WKOW TV
(Madison, Wisconsin)

Updated--Two Madison, Wisconsin attorneys—David D. Relles and John R. Zweig—heard the story of an idealistic Wisconsin Marine just home (two days) from Kuwait and Iraq in 2004, and who late one night out at the bars reacted to a shouted death threat to his friend, saw movement to his right and threw a punch in Boscobel, Wisconsin.

Now, attorneys Relles and Zweig advocate for Marine Eric Pizer (2000-2004) [whose attorney in 2004 should have fought for a plea deal (a disorderly conduct civil citation)] from the office of current Grant County (Wisconsin) District Attorney Lisa Riniker and Asst DA Anthony Pozorski, overzealous, small-town jurists who damage the legal profession.

Instead, Pozorski insisted on a violent felony charge.

Pizer is seeking a pardon from Scott Walker.

Today, Dan Barry of the New York Times picked up the Eric Pizer story, noting Scott Walker's vow to never use the power to pardon under the Wisconsin Constitution (Article V, section 6 of the Wisconsin Constitution), a vow Scott Walker made in a sick twist of irony after Walker's aides and appointees were charged and later convicted of embezzling from veterans.

Pizer wants to become a police officer, and cannot because of this one incident, and Walker's public refusal to pardon Pizer stands in the way of a Marine who wants to continue to serve.

There are a lot of reasons to not vote for Scott Walker.

Walker's contempt for veterans is among them.

As for Grant County (Wisconsin) District Attorney Lisa Riniker and Asst DA Anthony Pozorski, this is the same office that charged a six-year-old boy with a felony for playing doctor with a five-year-old girl in 2011.

Not the brightest jurists in Wisconsin.

Walker said one of the reasons he will not consider a pardon for Pizer is because he does not want to undermine the legal system.

Writes the NYT's Barry:

Mr. Pizer was two days back from Iraq. A straight-up Marine, he had committed to the corps even before his high school graduation in 2000, and was at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina a year later when an officer interrupted a class on sexually transmitted diseases to share the latest from Lower Manhattan.

We got bombed, boys, the officer announced. We’re going to war.

Pizer didn't know it, and won't say it now, but his most obstinate enemy was to become the current Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, after Pizer came home from serving his country he still loves.

Walker should listen to his betters, Eric Pizer for starters.

U.S. Steps up Pardons, Commutations; Scott Walker Refuses

"President Obama finally used his power to pardon and commute sentences to order the release of 8 low-level drug offenders serving outrageously long sentences, but there are tens of thousands more in the same situation. The DOJ says it’s looking for others with similar sentences to commute," reads an item in FreeThought.

Meanwhile, Scott Walker maintains his refusal to consider pardoning the wrongfully convicted, including Marine combat veteran, Eric Pizer, innocent but convicted Green Bay ex-cop, John Maloney and Penny Brummer of Madison.

So why would a governor refuse to pardon the wrongfully convicted?

Walker says it's because there are probably 1,000s of wrongfully convicted in Wisconsin, hence Walker cannot use his pardon power.

"If you pick one there's thousands of other examples out there of people who may not have the media or other outlets behind them, who would be in an equal position who probably have a compelling case to be made that we don't yet know about," said Walker in an interview with WKOW TV(Madison, Wisconsin), specifically referring to his refusal to consider pardoning or commuting the Pizer case.  

Moronic human garbage.

If Mary Burke had any decency she would issue a press release indicating her intention to pardon Pizer and so many others on Day One of assuming office. 

Running for political office seeking a mandate to correct injustice, now there's a thought.

Scott Walker Dishonors Marine; Betrays 1,000s of Imprisoned Innocents in Dereliction of Duty

Update II: Scott Walker's Contempt for Veterans Gets NYT Coverage

Update: Help to Pardon Eric Pizer.

Actively seeking out the Wrongfully Convicted should be the norm.

The governor's refusal to grant reprieves, commutations and pardons is disgraceful.

Scott Walker is tough. He won't be intimidated, ask him. Even Walker has admitted 1,000s of Wisconsin citizens with compelling cases of innocence remain behind bars, and Walker does nothing.

Unfortunately for one Eric Pizer, Scott Walker does not know the difference between obtuse and tough.

"Marine Corps combat veteran Eric Pizer of Madison has commendations and medals, but feels his professional future hinges on something that's out of his grasp, so far: a pardon from Governor Walker," notes WKOW.

Scott Walker said he will not issue pardons or commutations.

Maybe that's because Walker secretly doesn't like veterans.

Two longtime Walker aides and appointees—Tim Russell and Kevin  Kavanaugh—were appointed to non-profit veteran organizations meant for families of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, from which Russell and Kavanaugh looted $10,000s, took two tropical vacations and a trip to help organize the presidential campaign of Republican Herman Cain, veterans and their families be damned. (Hall. Wisconsin State Journal; January 22, 2013)

All the while the John Doe Probe I was conducted Walker denied wrongdoing, his surrogates attacked the probe, and Walker refused to issue a public call for cooperation. So Walker is showing his toughness by not granting pardons? And this guy wants to be president?

Eric Pizer needs a pardon from Walker for an after-bar fight that occurred in 2004 on military leave, in order to join the Madison Police Force nine years later.

Pizer, an actual, honorable Marine veteran, got into a fight and the responding cop decided not to just break it up and tell everyone to take a taxi home, but rather hand out battery arrests like they were X-mas presents.

Tony Galli WKOW TV (Madison) interviewed Walker and Walker's response is unbelievable.

Walker said since there are 1,000s of cases for pardons and commutations, it follows that not a single pardon and commutation should be granted.

Galli has a scoop here on Walker's foolish and unjust intransigence. Innocent people sitting in prison are losing their lives, and their families and friends suffer.

Walker's quote (from Galli) is: "If you pick one [to be pardoned] there's thousands of other examples out there of people who may not have the media or other outlets behind them, who would be in an equal position who probably have a compelling case to be made that we don't yet know about."

If people have compelling cases, and the Wisconsin Innocence Project, Innocence Consultants and other Innocence groups confirm this, then pardons and commutations should be granted.

But this should also be the business of government, in the interest of justice.

I can confirm compelling cases of innocents in Wisconsin prisons and jails that Walker doesn't yet know about:

• Innocent ex-Green Bay cop, John Maloney,
• Penny Brummer 
• Keith Roberts (veteran)
• Eric Pizer (veteran)
• Don Miller - " I want to single out the Innocence Project for what they did; they never gave up."
• Here's some reading for Scott Walker to bone up on the topic.

Funny, but I thought government is supposed to act in the interest of justice.

Scott Walker has shown his true colors, and he is not fit to breathe the same air as Marine, Pizer from whom Scott Walker should learn something about justice.

Wrongfully Convicted: Scott Walker: No Pardons for 1,000s with "Compelling Case" of Innocence

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker explains why he has granted no
pardons to incarcerated citizens with compelling cases.
"If you pick one there's thousands of other examples out there of
people who may not have the media or other
outlets behind them, who would be in an equal position who
probably have a compelling case to be made that we don't
know about," said Walker in an interview with WKOW TV (Madison).

Update II: Eric Pizer—the Wisconsin man trying to become a cop and blocked by Scott Walker—is Marine Corps Iraq combat veteran.

Update: From WKOW TV (Madison) and Democurmudgeon: Scott Walker's offers an incoherent and truly sociopathic justification behind his policy of not granting pardons:

"If you pick one there's thousands of other examples out there of people who may not have the media or other outlets behind them, who would be in an equal position who probably have a compelling case to be made that we don't yet know about," said Walker in an interview with WKOW.

Walker states there are a lot of people with compelling cases for pardons, so we should pardon none of them. This is a not a logically compelling argument.

Wrongfully convicted? What matters is whether the media or other outlets are behind them, suggests Walker, a bizarre position.

What about innocent Green Bay ex-cop, John Maloney; the innocent Penny Brummer of Madison who police went after because she was an out lesbian, and the innocent Don Miller of Hurley just released on parole? 

And there are surely many more innocents incarcerated.

The great English jurist, William Blackstone, wrote that "the law holds that it is better that ten guilty persons escape, than that one innocent suffer" in his Commentaries on the Laws of England (1769), the source of Common Law in the United States courts, and often cited in opinions in the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States.

Walker went public with his disinclination to pardon in the Spring 2012, although he has broad power vested in Article V, section 6 of the Wisconsin Constitution, after being challenged not to pardon his aides and appointees convicted in WalkerGate. 

In Feb, 12, 2012, this mal contends site challenged Walker not to pardon his personally appointed, long time aide, Tim Russell.

"Gov. Scott Walker says he won't pardon anyone charged in the ongoing John Doe investigation of former aides who worked for him as Milwaukee County executive," Walker later said in a Wisconsin Public Radio report in May 30, 2012.

Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel reported Barrett's call a week before the Recall Election in June 2012:

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett stepped up his criticism of Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday by questioning whether [Walker] would pardon any of his aides charged in a John Doe investigation.

“I want to be certain that we’re not going to have this election and he’s going to turn around and pardon all these aides of his who have been charged,” he said after a campaign stop at a Baraboo coffee shop. “I just want him to say that he’s never going to pardon any of these people. These are close associates of his.” (MJS. May 29, 2012)

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie actually thinks the power of clemency and commutation belongs to the Judiciary branch. Gov. Walker "believes these decisions are best left up to the courts," Blogging Blue writes, notwithstanding Article V, section 6 of the Wisconsin Constitution which reads:

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, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law relative to the manner of applying for pardons. Upon conviction for treason he shall have the power to suspend the execution of the sentence until the case shall be reported to the legislalure at its next meeting, when the legislature shall either pardon, or commute the sentence, direct the execution of the sentence, or grant a further reprieve. 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.

When Walker implies 1,000s of people do not rightfully belong in prison, and Walker justifies this state of affairs by saying not all advocacy groups and media support are, equal this seems capricious and bloodless.

And Walker's chief spokesperson doesn't even know to what branch of government the power of commutations and pardons belongs.

Does Scott Walker hear himself when he suggests there are 1,000s of innocents in Wisconsin prisons and jails, but as they all do not have the same advocates and media attention so they should all stay in prison?

From Tony Galli at WKOW: