From Inquest:
Under the Georgia constitution, the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles has the exclusive authority over all manner of executive clemency. Its powers are broad. Under a provision of the state’s charter that could be a force for good, the board may “parole any person who is age 62 or older.” That is, if its members so chose, the board could free hundreds, if not thousands, of people who are aging in Georgia’s prisons — and in the process save lives, reunite families, contribute to their well-being, and reduce strain on a system that has all but collapsed.
But justice of that sort, in these pandemic times or otherwise, is not something the parole board has ever set into motion.
That’s a conscious choice by its current members — Terry Barnard, Jacqueline Bunn, Brian Owens, David Herring, and Meg Heap. You probably have never heard of them. Appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate to seven-year terms, this shifting group of five people are some of the least famous yet most powerful governmental actors in Georgia. They alone determine whether and when incarcerated people can be released on parole or have their rights restored upon release. They may issue pardons, commute death sentences, or even cancel parts of a sentence for “any offense against the state.” Their professional backgrounds or interests are all in law enforcement, prosecution, or corrections. And they preside over a parole review process that gets a failing grade in a country that is already getting parole, early release, and clemency all wrong. >>Continue reading >>>
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