Can a presidential pardon be reversed?

[Cyrano]

The numerous high crimes and misdemeanors of the Bush administration are unlikely to ever end up in any court, even if Kerry wins.

But what if it turns out that someone that Bush pardons on his last day in office, committed murder? Given what we already know about the past 3 1/2 years, this isn't some Vince Foster fantasy.

An administration that would: out a CIA operative; send 900 (to date) Americans to die in a phony war (from which Bush and Cheney are personally profiting via the Carlyle Group and Halliburton); did their best to prevent an investigation of 9/11; wrapped themselves in the flag like pigs in a blanket; crushed anyone who dared to criticize them (or even wear a critical tee shirt); whose cohorts are Tom DeLay, Pat Robertson, Rick Santorum et al.; and which has a questionably sane person in charge of the Justice Dept (Ashcroft); such an administration is, imho, quite capable of murder.

So back to the original question. Can a murderer, pardoned by the president, ever be brought to justice?

[melv]

1. Kenny Boy

I have been wondering about Ken Lay myself. It seemed awfully fishy that he turned himself in....

[Zidane]

8. This is why

I think it's a waste of tax payer money to prosecute him. Everyone except the most naive knows that bush will pardon him on his last day in office.

That's how these people work - you do the dirty work for them and they make sure you don't do the time. If it wasn't that way they would quickly lose their criminal pals.

[truhavoc]

2. Only if he murders again, otherwise it's double jeopardy

The pardon acts as an acquittal, therefore you cannot be tried again for the same crime. However, if you discover other wrongdoings you can bring those to light.

[Cyrano]

3. How about those who ordered murder?

[Zidane]

5. If they are pardoned

no.

[Zidane]

4. According to the constitution

a president can pardon ANY crime (the one exception the constitution provides is impeachment - there can be no pardon). After that - they are pardoned for it for life. The ONLY way to reverse it would be to amend the constitution.

So the answer to your question is no, unless you amend the constitution.

And on his last day of office expect a whole hell of a lot of pardons. There will be no prosecution - because everything will be pardoned. Welcome to america.

[Cyrano]

7. You just know that Bush is going to pardon every criminal in his cabal

So the bottom line is that, even without murder, these turds are going to get away with every fucking crime they've committed since Jan. 20, 2001.

I don't know if he can pardon himself, but some day, I'd like to see the Smirk smirking from a docket in the Hague.

[Zidane]

9. He can pardon him self

the constitution gives no limit to the presidents pardon power other than impeachment.

And of course he will. He will have nothing to lose once he loses the election. He can either 1. Not pardon him self and risk prosecution or 2. Pardon him self and live out the rest of his days in absolute comfort.

Given his character I think the choice he will make is obvious.

[merh]

10. He can pardon himself for U.S. crimes, but not international war crimes.

eom

[Zidane]

11. True

But he will never leave the country.

[Baltimoreboy]

12. No American president will be tried by an international court

Not going to happen.

[napi21]

6. NO! If they could be reversed, Shrub would have reversed

most of those Clinton granted at the last minute.