Gregoire: No more Arkansas parolees here
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Gov. Chris Gregoire said the state won't accept any more parolees from Arkansas until she's assured of a better system for sending them back.
The governor does not have federal authority to reject parolees from another state, but Gregoire said that's not her concern at this time.
"If Arkansas doesn't like it, then sue me," she said. "You know, I don't care. My job is to protect the people of the State of Washington first and foremost."
Officials in Washington and Arkansas have been sparring over who had responsibility for Maurice Clemmons who killed four Lakewood police officers Sunday at a Parkland coffee.
Clemmons was shot to death early Tuesday by a Seattle police officer.
At issue is a warrant that Arkansas officials issued for Clemmons.
Back in May, Pierce County deputies arrested Clemmons and charged him with assaulting an officer and raping a pre-teen girl. As a result of those charges, Arkansas issued a warrant, stating Clemmons violated his parole.
Pierce County held Clemmons in jail, and waited for Arkansas officials to come and get Clemmons. No one did.
Instead, Arkansas corrections officials rescinded the warrant. Days later, Clemmons posted bail.
"It's incredibly unusual," said Scott Blonien with the Washington Department of Corrections. "I've never seen a situation like that before."
According to Blonien, the two sides exchanged heated e-mails.
One e-mail written by a Washington DOC official states, "I'm concerned that you have no problem releasing your offender into our community based on his behavior."
Washington officials said they pleaded with Arkansas to issue another warrant for Clemmons.
"Calling them, e-mails back and forth," Blonien said.
But that second warrant, Blonien said, was the wrong kind and as a result, couldn't be used to hold Clemmons in custody.
A spokesperson with the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections told KOMO News the original "a valid warrant," and that "it's good in any state."
"Not in the state of Washington it's not," said Blonien.
"I'm just so hurt," Gregoire said. "I am so hurt for these families."
The governor does not have federal authority to reject parolees from another state, but Gregoire said that's not her concern at this time.
"If Arkansas doesn't like it, then sue me," she said. "You know, I don't care. My job is to protect the people of the State of Washington first and foremost."
Officials in Washington and Arkansas have been sparring over who had responsibility for Maurice Clemmons who killed four Lakewood police officers Sunday at a Parkland coffee.
Clemmons was shot to death early Tuesday by a Seattle police officer.
At issue is a warrant that Arkansas officials issued for Clemmons.
Back in May, Pierce County deputies arrested Clemmons and charged him with assaulting an officer and raping a pre-teen girl. As a result of those charges, Arkansas issued a warrant, stating Clemmons violated his parole.
Pierce County held Clemmons in jail, and waited for Arkansas officials to come and get Clemmons. No one did.
Instead, Arkansas corrections officials rescinded the warrant. Days later, Clemmons posted bail.
"It's incredibly unusual," said Scott Blonien with the Washington Department of Corrections. "I've never seen a situation like that before."
According to Blonien, the two sides exchanged heated e-mails.
One e-mail written by a Washington DOC official states, "I'm concerned that you have no problem releasing your offender into our community based on his behavior."
Washington officials said they pleaded with Arkansas to issue another warrant for Clemmons.
"Calling them, e-mails back and forth," Blonien said.
But that second warrant, Blonien said, was the wrong kind and as a result, couldn't be used to hold Clemmons in custody.
A spokesperson with the Arkansas Department of Community Corrections told KOMO News the original "a valid warrant," and that "it's good in any state."
"Not in the state of Washington it's not," said Blonien.
"I'm just so hurt," Gregoire said. "I am so hurt for these families."