It's final: No more Ark. parolees in Wash. state
OLYMPIA, Wash. -- It's now official.
Washington state will not accept any more parolees from Arkansas.
The governor's order stems from the belief that Arkansas could have kept the Lakewood cop killer Maurice Clemmons behind bars.
Despite a 108-year sentence in Arkansas, Clemmons was on parole. Former Governor Mike Huckabee granted that parole, and is still defending himself for it.
"I take responsibility for the commutation I did nine years ago, but the commutation before me was not of a cop killer or a child rapist. It was for a person who, at age 16, was sentenced to 108 years," he said on Wednesday.
But Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire says under a national agreement, Arkansas should've taken Clemmons back last May when he got himself in trouble again.
" When we send someone to another state, we still owe that state our commitment to public safety there. And, if that individual acts out there, we bring them back. That's our commitment. That wasn't done here and that's what I want to be assured of," she said.
And don't blame the local courts for the Lakewood tragedy, the governor said.
"If I thought my guys were wrong, I'd step up to it. This is too serious; this is too tragic; this is too devastating," she said. "Anybody and everybody who was responsible for anything needs to step up to it. I would."
Gregoire was so angry she called Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe on Thursday.
"I want Arkansas to step up," she told Beebe.
Gregoire says Beebe "offered his deepest sympathies to the families of the fallen police officers, the law enforcement community and all the people of Washington."
After the private, half-hour talk, the two agreed there is work to do to protect the people of Washington and Arkansas.
Then, Corrections chief Eldon Vail told Arkansas he'll reject any more parolees.
"The notion we won't take someone from another state is, in my experience, unique, but we turn down individuals frequently," he said.
Vail says he doesn't know whether the governor's decision is legal.
"I am not a lawyer," he said.
Gregoire says she's just trying to protect the people.
Washington state will not accept any more parolees from Arkansas.
The governor's order stems from the belief that Arkansas could have kept the Lakewood cop killer Maurice Clemmons behind bars.
Despite a 108-year sentence in Arkansas, Clemmons was on parole. Former Governor Mike Huckabee granted that parole, and is still defending himself for it.
"I take responsibility for the commutation I did nine years ago, but the commutation before me was not of a cop killer or a child rapist. It was for a person who, at age 16, was sentenced to 108 years," he said on Wednesday.
But Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire says under a national agreement, Arkansas should've taken Clemmons back last May when he got himself in trouble again.
" When we send someone to another state, we still owe that state our commitment to public safety there. And, if that individual acts out there, we bring them back. That's our commitment. That wasn't done here and that's what I want to be assured of," she said.
And don't blame the local courts for the Lakewood tragedy, the governor said.
"If I thought my guys were wrong, I'd step up to it. This is too serious; this is too tragic; this is too devastating," she said. "Anybody and everybody who was responsible for anything needs to step up to it. I would."
Gregoire was so angry she called Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe on Thursday.
"I want Arkansas to step up," she told Beebe.
Gregoire says Beebe "offered his deepest sympathies to the families of the fallen police officers, the law enforcement community and all the people of Washington."
After the private, half-hour talk, the two agreed there is work to do to protect the people of Washington and Arkansas.
Then, Corrections chief Eldon Vail told Arkansas he'll reject any more parolees.
"The notion we won't take someone from another state is, in my experience, unique, but we turn down individuals frequently," he said.
Vail says he doesn't know whether the governor's decision is legal.
"I am not a lawyer," he said.
Gregoire says she's just trying to protect the people.