WHY WE ARE OUTRAGED AT THE GOVERNOR’S DENIAL OF

MELISSA’S CLEMENCY APPLICATION

• The governor’s statement that ‘a jury’s verdict of first degree murder is a heavy burden to overcome’ shows she doesn’t understand the purpose and meaning of clemency.

• Referring to Melissa’s co-defendant as her ‘husband’ when the petition clearly states that they were cousins by marriage and had only recently started dating, shows that she never really read the petition.

• Based on the facts surrounding Melissa’s tangential involvement in the crime, even common logic demonstrates the undue harshness of the non-parolable life sentence that Melissa was subjected to. This ‘facts’ test is one of the important criteria that is supposed to be considered.  

• It is clear from the denial letter that the governor only wished to confirm the jury verdict rather than apply the recognized principles of the clemency process.

• The governor’s weak, tepid and illogical denial confirms the charade that is the clemency process in Michigan.  

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