Huckabee Released Prisoner Who Offended Again
Huckabee Helped Set Rapist Free Who Later Killed Missouri Woman
Old Ark. governor sprung declared Lakewood shooter and Wayne Dumond, too.
Nov. 30, 2009 — -- Whatever political ambitions of former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee could be hurt past his role in freeing Maurice Clemmons, the gunman suspected in the execution murders of four police officers in Washington Land -- especially since Clemmons would not be the kickoff criminal Huckabee helped to complimentary who afterwards committed murder.
Clemmons was serving 95 years when Huckabee, then governor of Arkansas, commuted his sentence in 2000. Clemmons is at present being sought in the murders of four Lakewood, Wash. police officers, who were ambushed and shot in a coffee shop Sun morning time.
Four years earlier, Huckabee also pushed for the parole of rapist Wayne Dumond despite chilling testimonies from victims and their relatives that he was a dangerous criminal who would strike once more. Ashley Stevens, a 17-year-erstwhile cheerleader when Dumond raped her, told ABC News in 2007 that she put her face inches from Huckabee's and said, "This is how close I was to Wayne Dumond, and I will never forget his face, and yous will never forget mine. He's the one that raped me."
Click here to read Brian Ross' 2007 report and watch his report on Good Forenoon America by clicking here.
Only Dumond, serving a life judgement for raping Stevens, was released in 1999 following reported public and private efforts by Huckabee on his behalf. Inside a year of his release, he was accused of raping and murdering 2 more women. He was bedevilled of raping and murdering one of the women and returned to jail, where he died in 2005.
Video: Brian Ross talks to Mike Huckabee about the release of Wayne Dumond
Prior to his imprisonment for rape, Dumond's tape included a conviction for assault and his declared involvement in a slaying and i other rape. Stevens, the victim in the 1985 rape for which he was convicted, was a distant relative of Bill Clinton'due south, and Dumond became a cause celebrity among some who idea he had been dealt with harshly because of the victim's relationship to then-Governor Clinton. Huckabee had originally indicated a desire to commute Dumond'south sentence, but decided not to after unfavorable public response.
Dumond's Victims Begged Huckabee Not To Release Him
Documentation of Dumond'south dangerousness -- including graphic, emotional letters from his alleged victims and their family unit members -- was in Huckabee's gubernatorial files at the time he was advocating Dumond's release. The news Web site Huffington Post obtained copies of two letters from women who said they were raped past Dumond that were allegedly sent to the governor's role.
Later on first denying the messages were genuine, a spokesperson for Huckabee now confirms at least one of these letters was received past his office.
Several years ago, the documents were provided to Huffington Post reporter Murray Waas by a Huckabee aide.
In one, a woman tells of how Dumond raped her daughter, while her three-year-former grandchild looked on.
"I am also a rape victim of Dumond's," reads another heavily-underlined, bolded alphabetic character to Huckabee from the file. "Please reconsider your determination to release Dumond."
Huckabee fifty-fifty met with Ashley Stevens, whose rape had put Dumond behind bars in 1985.
Shortly afterward, in a 1996 airtight-door session with the state parole board, Huckabee urged them to recommend Dumond be freed, according to the one fellow member who voted confronting the release.
"He said the example I want to talk to yous nigh is Wayne Dumond, and this is a guy who may have grown upward on the wrong side of the tracks and may accept gotten a raw bargain," said professor Charles Chastain of the University of Ark. at Little Rock's Criminal Justice Department. "Immediately the other board members who voted on that case decided, apparently, if the governor wants it, he gets it."
Huckabee described the meeting differently.
"At their invitation I went to their meeting, someone brought up his instance," he said. "Frankly information technology was but office of a broader discussion. I did not enquire them to do annihilation."
Huckabee too told ABC News that it was "ludicrous" to think he could influence the parole lath at the time considering the members of the board were appointed past his Democratic predecessors, Jim Guy Tucker and Neb Clinton.
Only Butch Reeves, formerly the criminal justice counsel to the Arkansas governor's office, who handled all requests for clemencies and communications with prisoners, gave an account of the meeting that largely supports onetime board member Chastain'southward version.
Criminal Justice System In Question
In a phone interview with ABC News, Reeves said Huckabee told the board members he thought in that location was "something nefarious" about the criminal justice organization in Dumond's case, and that the rapist got a "raw deal." Huckabee said he believed Dumond's sentence, originally a life sentence plus twenty years, was "way out of bounds" for his law-breaking, raping a 17-year-old loftier school student.
Reeves said he could recall only a few such appeals being made past a governor.
"The record clearly shows now Mike Huckabee did abet for Wayne Dumond's release," said David J. Sanders, a political columnist for Stephens Media in Arkansas. "I think there are real questions about whether he has been forthright on this outcome."
Huckabee was criticized during the 2008 presidential primaries for his clemency tape. According to the Associated Printing, Huckabee granted 1,033 clemencies during his 10 years in office. That figure is more than twice the full racked upwards by his three predecessors every bit governor in 17 years.
In 2007, Huckabee told ABC News that he believed that the media's attending to the Dumond story was a "complete exploitation."
The female parent of Carol Sue Shields, the woman Dumond raped and killed in Missouri, told ABC News at the time that she would practice "whatever it takes" to stop Huckabee from condign president.
"I can't imagine anybody wanting somebody like that running the country," said Lois Davidson.
After the Lakewood shootings Sunday, Huckabee posted a argument on his Web site. If Clemmons is establish to be responsible for the shooting, he wrote, "It will be the result of a serial of failures in the criminal justice organization."
Click here to read Huckabee's complete statement.
Huckabee is now the host of a talk show on Fox News and has downplayed his involvement in running for president again in 2012, despite polls that show he remains popular among Republican voters.
Click Here for the Blotter Homepage.
Documentation of Dumond'due south dangerousness -- including graphic, emotional messages from his alleged victims and their family members -- was in Huckabee'due south gubernatorial files at the time he was advocating Dumond'due south release. The news Web site Huffington Postal service obtained copies of 2 messages from women who said they were raped by Dumond that were allegedly sent to the governor'southward office.
After kickoff denying the letters were genuine, a spokesperson for Huckabee now confirms at least one of these letters was received by his part.
Several years ago, the documents were provided to Huffington Mail reporter Murray Waas by a Huckabee aide.
In one, a adult female tells of how Dumond raped her daughter, while her three-year-old grandchild looked on.
"I am also a rape victim of Dumond'south," reads another heavily-underlined, bolded letter to Huckabee from the file. "Delight reconsider your decision to release Dumond."
Huckabee fifty-fifty met with Ashley Stevens, whose rape had put Dumond behind bars in 1985.
Shortly afterward, in a 1996 closed-door session with the state parole board, Huckabee urged them to recommend Dumond be freed, according to the i member who voted against the release.
"He said the case I desire to talk to you about is Wayne Dumond, and this is a guy who may have grown upward on the incorrect side of the tracks and may have gotten a raw deal," said professor Charles Chastain of the Academy of Ark. at Petty Rock's Criminal Justice Department. "Immediately the other board members who voted on that instance decided, obviously, if the governor wants information technology, he gets information technology."
Huckabee described the coming together differently.
"At their invitation I went to their meeting, someone brought upward his example," he said. "Frankly it was simply role of a broader give-and-take. I did non inquire them to do anything."
Huckabee also told ABC News that it was "ludicrous" to call back he could influence the parole board at the time because the members of the board were appointed past his Democratic predecessors, Jim Guy Tucker and Nib Clinton.
But Butch Reeves, formerly the criminal justice counsel to the Arkansas governor's office, who handled all requests for clemencies and communications with prisoners, gave an account of the coming together that largely supports sometime board member Chastain'due south version.
Criminal Justice System In Question
In a phone interview with ABC News, Reeves said Huckabee told the board members he thought there was "something nefarious" about the criminal justice system in Dumond's case, and that the rapist got a "raw bargain." Huckabee said he believed Dumond's sentence, originally a life judgement plus twenty years, was "way out of bounds" for his crime, raping a 17-twelvemonth-erstwhile loftier school student.
Reeves said he could recollect simply a few such appeals being fabricated by a governor.
"The record clearly shows now Mike Huckabee did advocate for Wayne Dumond's release," said David J. Sanders, a political columnist for Stephens Media in Arkansas. "I call back there are real questions nigh whether he has been forthright on this effect."
Huckabee was criticized during the 2008 presidential primaries for his clemency record. According to the Associated Press, Huckabee granted ane,033 clemencies during his 10 years in office. That figure is more than than twice the total racked upward by his iii predecessors equally governor in 17 years.
In 2007, Huckabee told ABC News that he believed that the media's attention to the Dumond story was a "complete exploitation."
The female parent of Carol Sue Shields, the woman Dumond raped and killed in Missouri, told ABC News at the time that she would practice "any it takes" to finish Huckabee from becoming president.
"I can't imagine anybody wanting somebody similar that running the state," said Lois Davidson.
Later the Lakewood shootings Dominicus, Huckabee posted a argument on his Web site. If Clemmons is establish to exist responsible for the shooting, he wrote, "It will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice organization."
Click here to read Huckabee's complete argument.
Huckabee is now the host of a talk show on Fox News and has downplayed his interest in running for president over again in 2012, despite polls that bear witness he remains popular among Republican voters.
Click Hither for the Blotter Homepage.
Huckabee was criticized during the 2008 presidential primaries for his clemency record. Co-ordinate to the Associated Press, Huckabee granted 1,033 clemencies during his 10 years in office. That figure is more than twice the full racked up by his iii predecessors as governor in 17 years.
In 2007, Huckabee told ABC News that he believed that the media'south attention to the Dumond story was a "complete exploitation."
The mother of Carol Sue Shields, the woman Dumond raped and killed in Missouri, told ABC News at the time that she would do "whatever information technology takes" to end Huckabee from becoming president.
"I can't imagine anybody wanting somebody like that running the country," said Lois Davidson.
Afterward the Lakewood shootings Sun, Huckabee posted a statement on his Web site. If Clemmons is found to be responsible for the shooting, he wrote, "It volition be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system."
Click here to read Huckabee's complete statement.
Huckabee is now the host of a talk show on Fox News and has downplayed his interest in running for president over again in 2012, despite polls that prove he remains pop among Republican voters.
Click Here for the Blotter Homepage.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/mike-huckabee-clemency-freed-maurice-clemmons-washington-cop-shooter-suspect/story?id=9207095
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