Criminal justice and parol

From CNN:

Seattle, Washington (CNN) -- A suspect in the shooting deaths of four police officers was not found in an east Seattle home where authorities had tracked him, police said Monday.
 ...
Clemmons is a convicted criminal with a long rap sheet who was given a 95-year prison sentence in 1989 for a host of charges, including robberies, burglaries, thefts and bringing a gun to school.

Clemmons' sentence was commuted in 2000 by then-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said Troyer.

Huckabee, a Republican presidential candidate in 2008, is considering a run for president in 2012.


"Should [Clemmons] be found responsible for this horrible tragedy, it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington state," Huckabee's office said in a statement Sunday night.

Clemmons, 37, of Pierce County has an "extensive violent criminal history from Arkansas, including aggravated robbery and theft," the sheriff's department said in a statement.

He also was recently charged in Pierce County in the assault of a police officer and rape of a child, according to the statement.
...
Huckabee cited Clemmons' young age -- 17 at the time of his sentencing -- when he announced his decision to commute the sentence, according to newspaper articles.

Clemmons was paroled in August 2000, after serving 11 years of his sentence.

Huckabee's office said Clemmons' commutation was based on the recommendation of the parole board that determined that he met the conditions for early release.

"He was arrested later for parole violation and taken back to prison to serve his full term, but prosecutors dropped the charges that would have held him," the statement said.

It's hard to know where to start with this one, common sense seeming to be habitually absent.

First we have a violent felon sentenced to 95 years when he was 17.  As later events seem to prove the sentence was entirely appropriate.  Had it been carried out a rape and four murders might well have been avoided.  Common sense dictates that harsh sentences for young offenders is NOT cruel and unusual, at least not when the offender is habitually violent.

Then we have a former presidential candidate, you remember that part of his claim was tough on crime, who pardoned the criminal noting that the parole board suggested it.  So how does an appointed board unaccountable to the voters get to decide that a violent criminal should be set free?  Why does an elected official get to say the devil made me do it, oh, that's right it was the parole board?  Common sense suggest that parole boards are entirely out of control and need some serious changes.  Likewise governors.

Finally we have a subsequent arrest that would have put a clearly dangerous criminal in prison where he belonged because prosecutors dropped charges!  Now there are four dead and a rape!

Common sense suggest that the criminal justice system is, well, criminal.  Perhaps actually having prison terms served is a reasonable thought.

Just some common sense.