JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Governor Mike Parson has pardoned more than 600 people in the past three years. That’s more than any Missouri governor since the 1940’s.
Parson is a former sheriff; he says he still believes in law and order and that criminals must be held accountable. But he adds, “It doesn’t mean they’ve been criminal all their lives.”
“I think it’s important to me that we set a standard so people know what happens when you commit a crime. There are going to be consequences. You’ve learned to accept that, and once you realize that, yeah, I made a mistake,” said Gov. Mike Parson.
So far, Gov. Parson has granted 613 pardons and commuted 20 sentences. He has also denied about 2,400 clemency requests.
