Man pardoned by Barbour in fatal shooting
JACKSON, Miss. A Mississippi sheriff says one of the ex-prisoners who received a pardon last year from the state's then-governor was involved in exchange of gunfire that killed another man.
Calhoun County Sheriff Greg Pollan said Wayne Thurman Harris of Slate Springs and Chris McGonagill of Calhoun City got into an argument at a cookout and both of them fired guns. Both were wounded, McGonagill fatally.
Pollan said no charges have been filed because he has not had a chance to interview Harris.
Harris received a full and unconditional pardon from Barbour on Jan. 10, 2012, after serving a sentence for selling marijuana.
Barbour, a Republican, sparked an uproar when he pardoned nearly 200 people as his second term was ending last year. Barbour has said he's at peace with the pardons.
Popular on CBSNews.com
- Tsarnaev friend implicates dead brother, self in murders 155 Comments
- Victims of deadly Oklahoma tornado 6 Photos
- Up-close video of Moore, Okla., tornado Play Video
- Oklahoma tornado as seen by storm chasers Play Video
- Minn. park landslide leaves 1 child dead, 1 missing
- Over 50 injured following Ind. school buses crash
- Deadliest U.S. tornadoes 10 Photos
- Record Fla. Powerball winner can't remain anonymous
Everyone here knows by now that I am not a friend of the far right. Having said that, I don't have a problem with Haley Barbour's pardon in this instance. Selling pot is something that is rapidly becoming legal in a number of these places and is a victimless crime. If you are going to pardon anyone this falls into that catagory.
Based on this perp's past, no one could have forseen this incident.
so
once again
the only thing anyione can take from this incident is that you are in favor of shootouts over an on the spot arguments or you are not.
gun control insures only people capably of handling a gun responsibly will own guns. Anyone else gets hard felony time
Gun nuts are not just emotionally stunted they are intellectually stunted too.
i was simply reaffirming Dannysteel's point that it is a good idea never to go anywhere, let alone a cookout unarmed
who is an airhead?
All with the highest black and hispanic populations except perhaps West Virginia.---------------
Good to see all those racial bigots having to choke on their hate for another 4 years
You may have a good point there, and there are broader implications. About the sale of marijuana conviction. Who knows what Barbour's motivation was to grant the pardon for Harris' conviction for selling marijuana, but maybe Barbour felt it was a minor crime or the sentence was too harsh for the crime - whatever. But it's probably a safe assumption Harris was also a user. Any user of illegal substances is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. Seems like Barbour got caught in, or created, a Catch 22 situation. He pardons Harris - again, don't know what his rationale was - and in the process clears the illegal substance abuse off his record. The thing is, Harris was still a known seller and likely user regardless of the status of his crime. Barbour should have made sure that Harris' standing re firearms possession was not erased.
The broader implication of this situation is with various states that have legalized and others that yet will legalize marijuana use. It may be legal in your state to use marijuana, but it's not legal to own or possess a firearm if you do, according to federal law. Any gun owner who doesn't want to surrender his rights might want to think about that before he tokes up.
Interesting take.
"Wayne Thurman Harris of Slate Springs and Chris McGonagill of Calhoun City got into an argument at a cookout and both of them fired guns. Both were wounded, McGonagill fatally."
Harris sold marijuana, Barbour pardoned Harris.