White House: Obama Can't Pardon 'Making A Murderer' Convicts

[MohRokTah]

When schools stopped teaching Civics, Americans became ignorant of hw their government works.

White House: Obama Can't Pardon 'Making A Murderer' Convicts

WASHINGTON (AP) — Armchair detectives hoping for a different ending for two convicts featured in "Making a Murderer" will have to look beyond the president for help.

An online White House petition urging President Barack Obama to pardon Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey has nearly 130,000 signatures, assuring an official response. Avery and Dassey are serving time for a 2005 murder, but the petition-signers say the men were wrongfully convicted. The case has attracted national attention from the hit Netflix documentary series.

The White House says under the Constitution, the president can't pardon Avery and Dassey because they were convicted of state crimes, not federal crimes.

...

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/steven-avery-making-a-murderer-white-house

[TipTok]

1. Steven Avery Prosecutor Says Netflix Series Omitted Key Evidence:

Former Wisconsin state prosecutor Ken Kratz says Netflix's Making a Murderer left out some key pieces of evidence against Steven Avery in its 10-part docu-series.

...

Phone records show three calls from Avery to Teresa's cell phone on Oct. 31," says Kratz. "One at 2:24 [p.m.], and one at 2:35 – both calls Avery uses the *67 feature so Teresa doesn't know it him...both placed before she arrives.

...

During his time in prison for a rape he was later cleared of, Kratz says Avery allegedly "told another inmate of his intent to build a 'torture chamber' so he could rape, torture and kill young women when he was released." Kratz adds, "He even drew a diagram."

....

According to Kratz, Avery's DNA, which he says was not taken from his blood, was also found under the hood of Halbach's car, a Toyota RAV4. "How did his DNA get under the hood if Avery never touched her car? Do the cops have a vial of Avery's sweat?" asks Kratz. Defense attorneys alleged that Avery's blood, which was found in Halbach's car, may have been planted, taken from a vial of Avery's blood that was 11 years old.



http://www.people.com/article/steven-avery-prosecutor-ken-kratz-says-netflix-series-forgot-key-evidence

[MohRokTah]

2. Controversy puts eyes on glass, and eyes on glss ofr Netflix translates to subscriptions.

I'm just flabbergasted that anybody thought Obama could pardon these men. The ignorance of how government works translates directly to Trump popularity, IMO.

[dragonlady]

3. Believe it

We do have a complicated government, with several levels, but many people think just in terms of "the government" because they aren't really interested in the whole thing the way we are. It's enough for them to complain about "the government" for everything they don't like, and stay oblivious to the fact that things like Medicare and Social Security are from "the government."

[rufus dog]

5. Kratz is a fucking prick

He himself is a sexual predator.

That being said, it is most probable that Avery committed the crime. Teresa's cell phone was found in the burn bin, there were the calls. Issue is that there was a lot of circumstantial evidence along with missing evidence in the States case. No blood evidence in the trailer, etc. Also shocking ignorance of the kids original Attorney and investigator.

[GGJohn]

4. Yup, Pres. Obama has no power to pardon state inmates, only federal inmates. eom.

[Shandris]

6. Wow.

While I readily admit to things I don't know, I don't typically find TOO many in government affairs that slip past me, but I'll be darned if this one didn't. I had no idea.

We taught 'Government' back in school, but I'm pretty sure we never made it to that topic. It was more like US History Lite, for a half semester.

[Xithras]

7. The President only has authority over federal agencies administered by the Executive branch.

And even that authority is constrained by federal law. Federal Bureau of Prisons is under the authority of the Department of Justice, which is under the Executive. This gives the President authority over federal prisoners, including the right to commute their sentences.

The state prisons are under the authority of state governors and aren't subject to federal jurisdiction (except where their operation crosses constitutional boundaries). Because they are not part of the federal system, the President has no authority over them.