Governor Beebe intends to pardon Timothy Allen of Texarkana, Texas. He was convicted of Attempted Manufacture of Methamphetamine in Little River County.
“In Arkansas, the Governor has the power to remove a conviction from someone’s record by issuing a pardon for the offense. This action is also called executive clemency, i.e. the executive branch of the government is exercising its power to grant clemency, or a reprieve, from a criminal conviction,” stated Texarkana Defense Attorney Jason Horton.
There are no law-enforcement objections to the application. “An applicant must submit a detailed questionnaire, including character letters and a letter from the county Sheriff indicating he has no objection to the granting of the pardon,” stated Horton.
The fact that all terms of the applicant’s sentence have been completed and there have been no further criminal-law violations. “If the Board of Pardons and Paroles recommends clemency, the application and the recommendation are sent to the Governor’s office for approval,” stated Horton.
The Governor’s Office is providing notice be issued based on the date of Allen’s conviction in 2002. “If the Governor recommends granting the pardon, there is a 30-day waiting period in which the general public can object. The Governor then issues a formal proclamation granting the pardon and restoring the individual’s rights,” stated Horton.
“Just this year I was able to get an Arkansas man his gun rights back through this process. From start to finish, the process took close to 4 years. In my opinion, under most circumstances, if an individual has served his sentence, maintained employment, and lived a law-abiding life, there is no reason that individual should have to forever shoulder the burden of a criminal conviction and the detrimental consequences that come with it,” stated Horton.
