JACKSON (AP) — The Mississippi Supreme Court has denied Attorney General Jim Hood’s motion to reconsider a ruling that validated former Gov. Haley Barbour’s pardons.
The court ruled Thursday without comment on Hood’s motion to reconsider a March 8 decision.
Barbour pardoned nearly 200 people as his second term was ending earlier this year. The total included four convicted murderers and a robber who worked as inmate trusties at the Governor’s Mansion.
Hood claimed some of recipients didn’t meet a constitutional mandate to publish notices for 30 days in a newspaper.
The court ruled 6-3 in Barbour’s favor in March, saying it was up to the governor “alone to decide whether the Constitution’s publication requirement was met.”
Hood asked the court to reconsider, which led to Thursday’s ruling.
Hood said in a statement through his spokeswoman that it was a shame that Barbour “abused the pardon power” and “even more of a travesty that a majority of the present Mississippi Supreme Court chose not to enforce the clear language in our state Constitution.”