Painful Pardons

Gov. Mike Beebe sure has had an interesting last few weeks with his pardons.

He backed off on the one planned for Michael Jackson, who Beebe coached in peewee football years ago in Searcy. Jackson, as you recall, was convicted of Internet stalking of a child, but had served his time without incident. However, when news of other indiscretions recently surfaced, Beebe had to stand down.

Beebe then made national news and endured his share of criticism when he announced the pardon of his son, Kyle Beebe, who was busted for pot a decade ago.

Then there’s the West Memphis Three — Jessie Misskelley Jr., Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols. They were branded Satanists and found guilty in 1994 of the gruesome murders of three boys, but maintained their innocence throughout. Their cases gained international attention, and they were ultimately released in 2011 after entering special pleas.

Now, Anonymous, a network of hacktivists, has issued a video demanding pardons for the West Memphis Three. In the video, a man wearing the trademark Guy Fawkes mask mentions Beebe by name.

Though the governor’s office notified law enforcement, Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said they are not so sure this is the real deal. None of the West Memphis Three have made formal application for a pardon, the video was issued late in Beebe’s term and his name is mispronounced.

For the governor’s office, these discrepancies seem to point to an amateur effort unbefitting a group as revered as Anonymous.

“We don’t know if this is Anonymous or if this is a group co-opting their likeness,” DeCample said.

It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. Anonymous has opposed the governments of Egypt and Malaysia, and is currently at war with the Ku Klux Klan in Missouri. If this is in fact the real Anonymous, Beebe, or perhaps even incoming Gov. Asa Hutchinson, might have a problem on his hands.