Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles withdraws George Floyd Clemency recommendation
By Raja Razek, CNN
Citing procedural errors, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has withdrawn George Floyd’s Clemency recommendation, according to a news release from Gov. Greg Abbott’s Office.
“The Board of Pardons and Paroles has withdrawn 25 clemency recommendations that contained procedural errors and lack of compliance with Board rules,” said office of the governor press secretary Renae Eze.
“Among the recommendations withdrawn was one concerning George Floyd. The Board will review and resolve procedural errors and issues related to any pending applications in compliance with their rules. As a result of the Board’s withdrawal of the recommendation concerning George Floyd, Governor Abbott did not have the opportunity to consider it. Governor Abbott will review all recommendations that the Board submits for consideration.”
CNN previously reported that the Texas State Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously to recommend a full posthumous pardon of George Floyd for a 2004 drug conviction, according to hearing minutes provided by the board to CNN.
An application for the pardon was filed in April on behalf of Floyd and his surviving family. In the application, Allison Mathis of the Harris County Public Defender’s Office said the request was filed because the arresting officer in Floyd’s case, Gerald Goines, “manufactured the existence of confidential informants to bolster his cases against innocent defendants.”
In a December 16 letter from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, presiding officer David Gutierrez tells the chief counsel for Abbot’s office that the board is hoping to resubmit a new list of clemency recommendations after their procedures review to avoid the two-year waiting period that would apply to the applicants.
Floyd died in May 2020 after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes. Chauvin was found guilty of Floyd’s murder in April and was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison in June.
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