As his term came to an end, Governor John Bell Edwards made a significant move by granting pardons to 56 inmates, including 40 individuals convicted of murder. Louisiana, often noted for having one of the highest incarceration rates, grapples with a considerable incidence of violent crimes. In 2021 alone, the state reported 26,078 violent crimes, translating to a rate of 564 incidents per 100,000 people—the highest among 41 states with available data. By comparison, the national violent crime rate, based on incomplete data, stands at 334 incidents per 100,000 people.
Governor Edwards, recognizing the need for criminal justice reform, has prioritized reducing Louisiana's prison population. He endorsed legislation aimed at shortening certain prison sentences, diverting nonviolent offenders away from incarceration, broadening parole eligibility, and allocating additional funds for the education and training of ex-offenders.
Among the pardoned individuals, Governor Edwards granted clemency to five individuals convicted of first-degree murder and 11 individuals convicted of second-degree murder. Additional pardons were extended to inmates with convictions ranging from arson and aggravated kidnapping to armed robbery.
Among those released was a man who was only seven hours from being given the electric chair for the April 1983 murder of a taxi driver.
David Rushing, of New Orleans, was 18 when he confessed to trying to rob a convenience store and a gas station, but, thwarted, then calling a cab and shooting dead the driver, Danny Archer.
He was sentenced to death, but his lawyers successfully appealed, citing prosecutorial misconduct and an ineffective defense.
Another pardoned by Edwards was Anthony Riggins, who shot and killed an unarmed 68-year-old shopkeeper, Peter Davenhauer, in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna.
Riggins was convicted in November 1977.
A third of the convicted murders, Venson Dean Vampran, was found guilty of killing hitchhiker Mark Bass in October 1984 and raping his wife, Susan Bass. He was 25.
Others released by Edwards in the last three months include armed robbers, drug dealers and an arsonist.
I'm betting the people of Louisiana feel safe now. If you live in Louisiana, do you feel safe and secure that these people released are now out of jail?