Attorney and Former Prosecutor Renee Sandler Comments on Huckabee and Clemmons

As four uniformed police officers were sitting in a coffee shop near Tacoma, WA Sunday morning, planning their day, a man walked into the establishment and executed all of them. The alleged shooter, Maurice Clemons, was later killed by police.

In addition to the horrific act, it is now being learned that presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, while Governor of Arkansas, granted clemency to Clemmons despite loud objections by family members of his previous victims and prosecutors.

Huckabee seems to be directing blame at the prosecutors for not securing longer sentences while prosecutors point to the fact that the Governor is ultimately the one whose signature grants a prisoner’s freedom.

Attorney and former prosecutor Rene Sandler, is no stranger to these situations. She takes us through the legal wranglings and prison sentences that can lead to such tragic consequences.

According to a 2004 article in the Arkansas Leader, Clemmons was convicted and sentenced in the early 1990’s to 35 years for armed robbery and theft. Then Governor Huckabee granted him clemency in 2000. Since then, Clemmons has been in and out of prison and was most recently jailed for the alleged rape of a child.