Why Trump cannot seek a pardon to make Georgia charges go away
The state-level charges, formally unveiled late on Monday, also cannot be pardoned by Georgia’s governor under the state’s constitution. Instead, the southern US state has an independent board that issues pardons, but such requests can only be made five years after a sentence is served.
From the horses mouth, so to speak:
https://pap.georgia.gov/parole-consideration/pardons-restoration-rights
To qualify for a Pardon for offenses other than sex offenses which require you to be listed on Georgia’s Sex Offender Registry:
● You must have completed all sentence(s) at least five (5) years prior to applying.
● You must have lived a law-abiding life during the five (5) years prior to applying.
● You cannot have any pending charges.
● All fines must be paid in full.
So basically you can’t get a pardon for a trumped up life sentence until 5 years after you die?
Something tells me they were thinking about a VERY SPECIFIC demographic when they wrote those laws and they never imagined THIS PARTICULAR VERY SPECIFIC demographic would be held to the same kind of standard.
So basically you can’t get a pardon for a trumped up life sentence until 5 years after you die?
That would have to be correct, although it is the Pardon and Parole Board, so there may be some other definition for "completed all sentence(s)" which would consider having gotten parole as a completion of the prison sentence.
Still, I remain confused about the purpose of GA laws around pardon. You've already served your sentence, receiving a pardon means you admit guilt (does it? in Georgia?) - so what even is the point of a pardon in GA?
It a good system. Wish it was more automatic on non violent crimes.
Basically your criminal record is hidden at some point and only becomes a factor in future sentencing should you choose to commit a crime. It is quite a deterrent without saddling someone with a criminal record.
PeleSpirit
NoStressyJessie