The Louisiana Board of Pardons recently scheduled administrative review hearings to consider clemency applications of 56 death row inmates for their capital sentences. The cases are before the board for consideration by a request from Governor John Bel Edwards, whose term as governor will end in January.
“The families of the victims of these 56 cases had to re-live their tragedies all over again due to these clemency hearings, which are unprecedented and initially not in accordance with the Pardon Board rules,” said District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington, who serves as the president of the La. District Attorneys’ Association. “These hearings occurred at the request of the governor, who has publicly stated he would consider commuting the death sentences, which would deny the victims and their families the justice they are lawfully due. We stand firm with our victims that these murderers do not deserve clemency.”
The District Attorneys’ Association participated in each clemency hearing in support of the victims’ families and to urge the Board of Pardons to not move the cases to a full clemency hearing, which is only available if the inmate has a pending execution date. Because none of the 56 cases have pending execution dates, the clemency hearings should not be heard, according to Harrington.
“Every inmate who is entitled to a clemency hearing should get their hearing but only in accordance with the law and the well-settled process,” Harrington said.
One of the clemency applications heard by the board was for Tracy Lee, who is on death row for a murder and two rapes that tragically occurred in Natchitoches in 1985. Lee was convicted and sentenced to death by two separate juries for murdering a 15- year-old child and raping the child’s mother and 16-year-old sister. At the clemency hearing for Lee, held on Nov. 8, family members of the deceased victim and surviving victims expressed their continued pain and emotional toil on their lives as a result of Tracy Lee’s crimes.
“Each of you have the transcripts of the case, but what’s not in those transcripts are the internal scars that we have endured all these years,” said Scott Blackston, brother and son of the victims.
“The facts of this case cannot be disputed. The outcome has been decided twice and family and friends still must endure and relive the horrific murder and rape committed by Tracy Lee over and over again.
“Days and years of seeing my mother and my sister, depression and heartache, who still have not gotten the justice that the family needs. Only to resurface time and time again when people call the house and ask about Tracy Lee’s attempted escape or his parole,” said Blackston. At the hearing, the Blackston family members were assisted by the victim assistance coordinator for the Natchitoches Parish District Attorney’s Office, Alice Hardison.
“Our victims and their families have experienced so much continued pain related to their tragedies. Our office provides assistance to our victims by providing logistical support and coordination and keeping them informed of all updates relating to their cases,” said Hardison.
District Attorney Harrington testified at hearing stating, “Tracy Lee does not warrant moving on to a clemency hearing. Two separate juries in penalty phases came back with the death penalty, that should not be changed.”
“The emotional pain continues to haunt these families throughout their lives. These convicted killers do not deserve clemency, nor do they deserve a full clemency hearing under the rules,” said Harrington.
The Nov. 9 hearing concluded with the Board of Pardons voting to deny the clemency application for Lee, who will remain on death row pending further action by the courts.
