The Nebraska Board of Pardons met at the Capitol to review pardon, commutation and reprieve applications. They approved the Nov. 13 meeting minutes before moving through several groups of cases. Applications in Groups E, F and G, which included requests for sentence commutations, reprieves or license revocations, and some pardon requests, were denied unanimously without testimony, following the board’s established group-motion process. Attorney General Mike Hilgers, Secretary of State Bob Evnen and Gov. Jim Pillen voted 3-0 to deny each of those applications.
Testimony was heard from applicants in Group H, which consisted of individual pardon requests. Several applicants were denied after board members questioned the accuracy of their accounts, timelines of past offenses or perceived inconsistencies in testimony. In multiple cases, board members cited concerns related to public safety, truthfulness and the nature of the underlying offenses, including burglary, domestic assault, firearms-related incidents and crimes involving minors. Applicants who were absent were typically denied, but a small number of cases were tabled to allow for additional information or testimony at a later date.
The board unanimously approved pardons for several applicants who described long periods of sobriety, community involvement or stable post-conviction lives. Approved applicants included individuals with decades-old convictions for offenses such as drug possession, driving offenses and burglary, some of whom cited work as counselors, mentors or missionaries. In a few instances, pardons were approved by split votes when one board member expressed concerns about the applicant’s credibility or minimization of past conduct.
Other cases prompted extended questioning and, in some instances, divided votes. The board denied applications involving domestic violence, motor vehicle homicide, repeated criminal conduct or unresolved concerns about accountability. Several cases were tabled, including one involving a felony sex offense, to allow for additional documentation or statements. The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m. after six hours of deliberations.
Meeting documented by Jeanie Mezger
Read full meeting notes here
