Quinn Pardons 11 People, Calls Backlog 'Shameful'

Gov. Pat Quinn has pardoned 11 people and ordered that their criminal records be expunged.

He says it's part of an effort to clear what he calls a "shameful" backlog of almost 2,500 clemency requests that built up under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Crimes committed by those who were pardoned include drug possession, aggravated battery and burglary.

Quinn says this is just the first in a series of clemency petitions he will act on with the goal of drastically reducing the backlog by the end of the year.

He says each person he pardoned underwent a criminal background check.

Comments

[JustMe133]

It's too bad all states don't do this. Maybe than the repeat offenders of serious and brutal crimes would stay behind bars instead of being let go to kill again and again!!

[Cambridge9]

Maybe this is another area where Blago was hoping for a 'pay to play scheme'. I'm just sayin'.

[MadCroation]

All nonviolent drug offenders should be Pardoned.