Q, from many a reader: “Can someone please explain to me why a president or governer can commute

a death sentance imposed by the courts on a guilty prisoner without it

being a seperation of powers issue, but they can’t commute a death

sentence on an innocent woman which has been imposed by the same courts?”

A, from my kitchen legal cabinet: “The president and governors have either constitutional or statutory pardon authority granted to them. But the pardon authority relates only

to crimes committed. It simply has no bearing on non-criminal

proceedings. There is no such authority committed to the executive for

these circumstances. So the Executive is essentially powerless to

help.”