Raw Emotions Greet A Murderer's Release

Miss. Gov. Faces Rage, Heckling After Suspending Life Sentence of Convicted Stalker/Killer

(CBS/AP)  The last thing a governor wants - and especially a law-and-order Republican governor - is a controversy over a pardon or commutation of sentence, especially when it involves someone convicted of a brutal murder. But that's exactly what Miss. Gov. Haley Barbour got this week.

Barbour's decision to let out the man convicted of the 1989 killing of Adrienne Klasky after serving 19 years of a life sentence has triggered rage among those who knew her and who remember the brutal crime.

Barbour earlier this month suspended the life sentence of Michael Graham, who had been working as a trusty in the Governor's Mansion. Much like a parole, Graham is restricted in where he can live and has to report to monthly meetings with corrections officials.

Graham, Klasky's ex-husband, was convicted of her murder. Witnesses said Graham stalked Klasky for three years before pulling up next to her at a Pascagoula intersection and shooting her in the head as she waited for a light to change.

Graham surrendered to authorities 15 minutes after pulling the trigger of the 12-gauge shotgun.

Dozens of Klasky's former classmates are sending the governor an oversized letter - a 12-foot poster signed by them - expressing their anger and dismay about his decision to let her killer out of prison.

"We wanted to express to the governor our outrage in what he has done in letting someone like this loose," Harvey Barton, who graduated from Pascagoula High School with Klasky in 1973, told WLOX-TV in Biloxi.

State Rep. Brandon Jones, D-Pascagoula, said he will deliver the poster to Barbour in August when lawmakers return to Jackson to restart a special session.

"Who knows what a 12-foot piece of butcher paper means, but we hope that it shows the raw emotion that was there. And the memory of what was by all accounts, a lovely person," Jones said.

Jones hopes to curtail a governor's right to pardon or suspend the sentence of anyone convicted of premeditated murder.

Barton said he has fond memories of Klasky.

"Adrienne was always so full of life, and always had a smile on her face, and so happy, that's the way everybody remembers her," he said.

Graham would have been eligible for parole July 12, 2010.

Barbour issued an "indefinite suspension of sentence," said Pete Smith, a spokesman for the governor. The suspension can be reversed.

The governor said last week that what he did for Graham was the equivalent of a parole and that Graham will report regularly to an officer.

Barbour said he's willing to pardon Graham if he gets a job and follows the rules during this "second chance" he's been given.

The governor said Graham was a diligent worker at the mansion. Barbour said he expects Graham "to have an unblemished record" outside prison.

The Jackson Free Press noted this week that Barbour has granted pardons to five other killers this year, at least two of whom were (like Graham) convicted of killing former or current girlfriends.

On Thursday at the Neshoba County Fair where Barbour was speaking, a woman started heckling the governor, simply chanting the name "Adrienne Klasky" over and over.

Linda St. Martin, a local Democratic leader, yelled the name repeatedly until she was escorted away.

In an interview with Gulfport, Miss.'s Sun-Herald Thursday night, St. Martin said, "I just had to do something.

"This woman can't speak for herself," St. Martin said. "Who will say the name of Adrienne Klasky? I made the decision today that I would.

"The question is not why did I do this. The question is why did the governor release the man. Not why did I do it, but how long will I do it alone?"

A former lawyer and lobbyist, Barbour served as the Republican National Committee Chairman from 1993 to 1997. He was elected Mississippi Governor in 2003 and re-elected last year.

How Barbour weathers this political firestorm is unclear. Because of term limits, he cannot run for Governor again when his current term expires in 2011.

[incog-nito]

It''s good for a convicted murderer to have friends in high place.

[ghost4201]

I bet you he was sleeping with the governor

[ghost4201]

so this governor let 5 people go who murder their girlfriend or wife''s uh.

[babooph]

The propaganda system has had the pretense that the two parties were not really one-"law& order B S " was part of the scam.

[whiskyrokkr]

Maybe well get lucky and someone will return the favor to him. P.O.S.

[deepperppl]

What''s the point of sentencing violent killers in the courts? Just give the verdict to the governor and let him decide if he/she deserves to serve time. That''s what he''s doing, anyway, so let him get paid for it and stop wasting the court''s time.

Wife beaters, abusive men, do NOT change. They just put on their mask and wait for the next victim to fall into their clutches. Any woman who''s lived in the home with an abuser needs to speak up and stop idiocy that sets men like this one free.

[toldyouso12]

The governor probably had no choice. While working as a trustee, the con probably found some incriminating evidence against the gov and told him either to commute his sentence or be exposed. Naturally, like most politicians, the gov would rather put the public at risk than be exposed and lose his office. Sort of like Congress failing to impeach Bush because with is wireless tapping program, he has stuff on most of them. LOL

[sandycat2]

This is B.S. We see everyday evidence of killers and rapists who are not kept in prison where they belong go out and victomize more innocent people upon release. These killers will kill again. It''s just a matter of time. And this governor gave them the chance. Why can''t we put this governor in jail if he''s proven wrong? After all he is putting innocent people''s lives on the line with his decision?

[aztecdakota]

Is this some kind of judicial government plan, to reduce the earths'' excess population? Instead of hanging murderers, just let them go, so they can keep murdering and murdering again, and again? Where is Judge Roy Bean?

[toldyouso12]

"Barbour issued an "indefinite suspension of sentence," said Pete Smith, a spokesman for the governor. The suspension can be reversed."

smart move--by a man who is obviously being blackmailed or extorted. By making the decision reversible, he still holds a sword over the killers head--so if the killer ever rats him out--back to prison he will go. The two are now extorting each other. The public better wonder just what the governor could have done, that would allow a con to put him in the position he is now in.

[blondchic]

I don''t understand our system. The courts spend thousands of dollars to convict someone and all it takes is some Governor or President to say hey, it''s ok, let him go??? Why bother having a Judge, Jury, or a Parole Board if that''s all it takes. And 5 murders?? I wonder how many pot smokers in Miss.are sitting in jail right now awaiting parole?? I guess the place to kill your girlfriend is Mississippi! I think Republicans have convinced themselves they are God, just ask Bush who let a prosecutors spend countless hours and thousands of dollars proving Scooter Libby was guilty and then a Judge and Jury confirmed it just to let him off scott free. It truly is unbelievable. I hope this guy or the other 4 murders this %u201Ctrusted servant%u201D let go don%u2019t kill again but if they do, I hope they take Gov. Haley Barbour down with them. Our justice system is a joke!! Next this guy will be letting child molesters out but he doesn%u2019t care his term limit is over in two years%u2026

[nothappyatall]

REPUBICON Governor, gee what a surprise, and yet the trolls claim it would the Dumbocraps or "liberals" who would do these things! Turnes out its a buybull thumping REPUBICON.

[ann3332]

what the heck is wrong with the governor? has he gone mad. what is wrong with Him.Letting out a killer and you know that surelly not go well with the people. He should finish his term in prison. Andrienne cannot speak for herself. i say one thing justice stinks. and this thing will look bad for the republicans.

[smurfcrusher]

The Republican -meant- to say "Tough on Grime".

[smurfcrusher]

"The governor said last week that what he did for Graham was the equivalent of a parole"

Really? Governors don''t get in paroles from what I understand.

Republican logic.

[sandycat2]

Blondchic, no Democrats are already not putting child molesters and child rapists in jail in such states as Massachusetts and Vermont. Mass. judge gave one cild rapist a 4 month sentence for raping a 4 year old child. After public outcry he changed the sentence to 2 years. I don''t think 2 year sentence is enough. Democrats are for the most part the ones who are soft on crime. Barbour is wrong in what he is doing. But most Republicans are tougher on crime than Dems. I can''t say all of either party however because all of them don''t fit the mold. In my state of Illinois, former Repub governor, Ryan, suspended our death row, however he commuted are death row inmates sentences to life in prison without parole. He didn''t let them out of prison.

[whiskyrokkr]

I''d like to have a good hour with this scumbag--Just to get his mind right.

[antoniof123]

And the race continues Mississippi not to be out done by Texas is aiming for first place as the stupidest state in the country. Just when we though Texas had it all rapped up Mississippi pulled this stunt.

But wait the year isn''t over and Texas could reclaim it or maybe Alabama, or Georga, of course there could be a suprise and one of the Carolina''s could take it.

[andor3]

"They should lock him up in the same room as the maniac who chopped up that poor soul on the bus."

why? do you hope they would hurt each other? Does that seem like a right thing to do? The actions of a strong and courageous society? Or is it cowards giving in to the lowest of human impulses for revenge and countering brutality with more of the same?

[andor3]

whiskyrokkr: "I would like to have a good hour with this scumbag--Just to get his mind right."

think he is more of a scumbag than you? Think your mind is more right than his? Does not look like it...

[jennmarikp]

Don''''t you folks understand anything?! We MUST have priorities! Prisons are crowded. This conservative governor is simply making room for more dangerous criminals like marijuana smokers.


Posted by jMcGilvray at 01:25 PM : Aug 02, 2008

Love it!!

[jennmarikp]

They should lock him up in the same room as the maniac who chopped up that poor soul on the bus.

Posted by lazareth at 12:39 PM : Aug 02, 2008

Good idea. They should televise what happens in the cell!!

[andor3]

lazareth: "They should lock him up in the same room as the maniac who chopped up that poor soul on the bus."
jennmarikp: "Good idea. They should televise what happens in the cell!!"

You guys are going to have to do better than that to satisfy your lust for brutality. Most likely they would just sit there and stare or have a heart-to-heart conversation about how they were shocked at their own actions. boring.

[longtree-2009]

Mississippi, get rid of that dumb good for nothing governor. Recall him, toss him out of office on his behind. If he is honorable, kind of doubt it, he should just resign. What an idiot.

[papabc]

Murderer should have stayed in Jail.

Should not have worked in the Governor''s Mansion no matter what.

Totally not acceptable.

[whiskyrokkr]

andor3/JMcgilvary
---------------
Why don''t you two go find this guy and give him a big hug.I wonder how you would feel if this piece of $hit shot one of your loved ones in the head with a shotgun?You Puzzys make me sick.

[darwinianone]

Our lust for brutality (evidenced through LiveLeak.com and Youtube.com) could easily be combined with our lust for "perceived justice". The ratings would skyrocket. I''ll only charge CBS a small fee for the idea.

We''ll call it: Survivor: USP Marion

And in it, we could have all the stars. It will satisfy the naysayers of Capital Punishment because the state wouldn''t be responsible for anyone getting hurt. It''ll be great for historians - a flashback to the Gladiator times, only they''d be "deserving" of death.

Wouldn''t it be great to see who gets voted out of USP Marion? No torches... just snuffs. It''d build team camaraderie, an esprit de corps. Multiple camera angles possible with bulletproof plexi-glass all around.

Ahhh... but what do I know? I''m a Canadian and we love everyone. I mean, look at that guy on the bus. He''ll plead insanity (curiously, would a sane person do that anyway?) and he''ll be released in 10 years, under supervision, with an order to take his meds.

Seriously? It''s time to get tough. Lock these losers up and throw away the key. I''d be happier paying taxes knowing they''re away and never getting out.

[rbburnerjr]

It sounds like he took lessons from Bush in letter criminals go free.

[jmurrieta1]

Republicans let murderers out of jail only when they are White.

When they are Black, like Willie Horton, the Repugs use them as propaganda.

They better just hope this clown doesn''t kill anyone now that the right-wingers let him out. Or at least that he kills someone he is directed to by the White Wing power elite.

[timdgrim]

They should lock him up in the same room as the maniac who chopped up that poor soul on the bus.

Posted by lazareth at 12:39 PM : Aug 02, 2008

Good idea. They should televise what happens in the cell!!
Posted by jennmarikp
************
See CBS...that would be a REAL ''Survivor'' reality show. And certainly beat that piece of cr*p that now has that name on your network.

[darkfyreaol]

sandycat2: Hate to rain on your parade..Being a Democrat myself, I can''t say I support capital punishment, however blaming ''short sentences'' on politics is, for lack of a better word, stupid. It''s called ''shifting boundaries''..When judges get jaded, they tend to view the crime as less shocking, regardless of how sick and vile it may have been, and thus give a lighter sentence.

However that particular judge should be removed from the bench. Allowing himself to be jaded and allowing public opinion to influence his decisions shows that he is lacking in conviction. Something a judge can little afford to lose.

[wineberry]

This country is too soft on some criminals, seriously. In some countries they don''t mess around. You do the crime, you don''t do the time, you just get the grind in the form of a firing squad or some other lethal form of punishment. Now before you aim fire at me, yes I know that not all crimes are accountable by death, and yes we have a Democratic due process way of dealing with crimes, where most times the punishment fits the crime. But when you have a bunch like the Manson gang and their horrible crimes, the woman who watched her two sons roll into a lake in the back of her car to drown because she was afraid her boyfriend would not accept them, and those like this guy who just drive up and blow someone away with a shotgun, the guy who recently murdered the guy on the bus, etc., hey line them up against the wall. Society is better off without them.

[rhs648]

This is an example of why the death penalty is needed and should be used. Death is the only assurance that a governor, parole board, or judge won''t free a murderer who has been given a life sentence. Where is the truth in sentencing when someone sentenced to life in prison is freed?

[chyenna-2009]

The govenor is a sorry piece of schit!!!! That he allowed that monster into his "HOME" shows he''s an idiot or worse. Life in prison should mean Life in prioson until the M F''er dies!!!! People of Mississippi stand up and do something. Rally against your stupid azz govenor. Bombard his office with letters or something to let him know what a sorry azz person he is. At least the dumbazz will be out of office soon. Personally, I think he should be thrown out of office. Hasn''t he granted releases for three murders? Don''t stay silent Mississippi!!! Join your voices together for the beautiful young woman whose life this monster took!!!!

[chyenna-2009]

Governor or Judge; makes no differece to me

[haoli25]

I hope his next victim is armed and ready. This animal needs to be ''put down''.

[stn_sage]

I doubt he was released because he''s ''reformed''!

The reason he was let go is probably much more sinister than that.

He''s probably going to be used to get rid of political enemies of Barbour or something like that!

This ISN''T really surprising, though! Barbour allowed supplies meant for Katrina victims to be re-routed to state offices and agencies! Grab the wealth! Let the people rot!

Mississippians, you deserve what you get for electing a piece of shiit like Barbour! Maybe some day you''ll learn and elect somebody who''s not a crook!

[cwbyht]

The Governor has the power to commute any sentance he chooses. If you don''t like it, change the Mississippi constitution, or get yourself elected Governor.

[dakotaclark]

Hmmm...

This only proves what I have believed for a very long time; mainly that Haley Barbour is All Hat And No Cattle."

He is the typical Good Ol'' Boy, who is nothing more than an embarrassment to the Republican Party, (I am a Republican); and, this is not his first sign of impaired reasoning.

There are certain folks out there who will view this as a perversion of justice; and, they just might take matters into their own hands.

More than likely, Michael David Graham will have to keep looking over his shoulder everywhere he goes, and that would be for the rest of his life.

[csmith1948]

..and here I thought Repubs were tough on crime.

[kazoodan]

The Governor has the power to commute any sentance he chooses. If you don''''t like it, change the Mississippi constitution, or get yourself elected Governor.

Posted by cwbyht at 04:32 PM : Aug 02, 2008

---------

Just because you can doesn''t always mean you should.

[newton221]

If this monster kills again. I think this Idiot Governer should have to face criminal charges.

[hungry1968]

Leave it to a republican.

They let (helped) bin Laden get away, they (the heavily right leaning supreme court) ruled executions for child rapists are unconstitutional, they ruled that a girl kidnapped by her church CANNOT sue the church because it violates THEIR right to freedom of religion, and now they pardon grizzled murderers.


How can ANYONE say that the GOP DOES NOT hate America?

[jericho1337]

make your voice heard

HaleyBarbour.INFO

[hungry1968]

I hope that when this scummbag decides to murder again, that he remembers the governors address.

Let him find his wife''s or child''s corpse on the bathroom floor, and then we''ll question him on his decision again to release murderers for no apparent reason.

[mydiatribe]

FBI Statistics show this type of killers are least likely to re-offend.
I honestly do not believe this man will likely ever be s threat to his community.
HOORAY for this governor for demonstrating that even Republicans can show compassion.

If Graham stays away from the skirts so that his obsessions don''t start to overule reason, he won''t have any problems not unless some vigilante nutter decdes to overule the Mississippi Governor

[crazycwp]

Something stinks in the state of Mississippi and it''s source is the governor''s mansion. If that guy kills again the gov ought to be brought up on murder charges. I think it''s time to drug test the gov and see what he''s on that he makes STUPID DECISIONS like this. The republicans keep making me glad I''m a democrat.

[toldyouso12]

sandycat2: Hate to rain on your parade..Being a Democrat myself, I can''''t say I support capital punishment, however blaming ''''short sentences'''' on politics is, for lack of a better word, stupid. It''''s called ''''shifting boundaries''''..When judges get jaded, they tend to view the crime as less shocking, regardless of how sick and vile it may have been, and thus give a lighter sentence.

However that particular judge should be removed from the bench. Allowing himself to be jaded and allowing public opinion to influence his decisions shows that he is lacking in conviction. Something a judge can little afford to lose.

Posted by darkfyreaol at 03:53 PM : Aug 02, 2008


What Judge? Did you mean GOVERNOR? Because it was a governor who suspended the sentence, not a judge--unless the governor is a judge. Is he? Is it in the above article? Or do your "shifting sands and stupidity have room for YOU on the roster?

The governor is being blackmailed by the con and has to release him or have some dirt about himself exposed. For his own protection, he has not pardoned the con--but keeps him on the hook by only suspending a sentence which could be lifted and reimposed at any time (like if the con tells on him in the future).

[jericho1337]

as long as governors set killers free there will be no option but to have executions

let your voice be heard

www.HaleyBarbour.INFO

[darwinianone]

MyDiatribe: "FBI Statistics show this type of killers are least likely to re-offend.
I honestly do not believe this man will likely ever be s threat to his community.
HOORAY for this governor for demonstrating that even Republicans can show compassion."

It''s not about him being a threat or re-offending. It''s about justice. She was blindsided, her life taken away forever, no second chances - AND she did NOT get a choice in that.

He had a choice. He knew the consequences, ignored them and took someone''s life. He deserves to rot in Hell forever. Frankly, he needs to stay in a cell forever, with no chance of parole.