East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore
News of the Louisiana Board of Pardons scheduling clemency hearings for death row inmates is not sitting well with family members of the victims and those who prosecuted them in court. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said he and other DAs were completely blindsided by a campaign to reduce 56 death row sentences to life in prison was in the works.
“The victims were calling us, saying what in the hell is going on, what are you all doing? I said what are you talking about? We had no idea that this was being organized,” said Moore.
The board originally rejected to review the cases on the grounds they were not filed according to their rules within a year of the denial of the inmate’s final appeal. Moore said several legal opinions agreed with the board to reject the cases, but a letter from the governor asking them to do so led to the scheduling of 20 cases.
Audio Player“The Parole Board members are very hard-working good folks that are really put in a terrible spot now with their boss telling them to hear these cases. This has been extremely brutal and offensive to the families,” said Moore.
Moore said throughout Governor Edwards’ career he’d never said he was opposed to the death penalty and particularly during his re-election campaign.
“And then on the eve of his departure from the office, he gives a statement at Loyola Law School that he’s opposed to the death penalty for all these reasons. Where have you been for all the other years?” Moore questioned.
Weeks after the governor said he was against capital punishment, clemency applications from every death row inmate but one in Louisiana were filed.
Statement from Hillar Moore below:
At the request of the Governor, the Board has apparently been put in the precarious position of following its own rules or complying with the Governor’s request. I am not envious of the position that this Board has been placed in, by the Governor’s request to the Board he appointed. This Board has my respect. I am concerned that the Board has apparently reversed its previous decision with no hearing. We believe the Board’s action is far beyond the scope of its authority and this process is now at a point where it is blatantly offensive and unfair to the families and loved ones of the victims of these horrendous crimes.
In speaking with family members, they hope that the Governor and those in the decision-making process can feel their continued pain. The pain is enduring. There has been no acceptance of guilt or apology in the applications. Yet, these killers are getting royal treatment. This cruel treatment to the victims’ families must stop.
Why are we allowing those heinous murderers who have had every opportunity to have their cases investigated, tried, appealed multiple times and at multiple levels of state and federal court, the luxury of an expedited commutation hearing? A normal clemency case takes over 9 months to a year to complete.
I respect the religious beliefs and views of those on both sides of the death penalty issue. This is not a criticism of attempt to quell anyone’s personal beliefs. To the contrary, I simply want the victim’s family members, friends and the public to know we will work tirelessly to ensure that the voices of the victims are heard and that the law is upheld.
Hillar Moore
District Attorney
East Baton Rouge
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