Colorado governor pardons felon to stave off deportation to Cuba

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, issued a controversial pardon Friday to stop the deportation of a convicted armed robber to Cuba.

• Rene Lima-Marin, 38, came to the U.S. as a toddler as part of the 1980 Mariel boat lift from Cuba.
• In 2000 his legal residency was revoked following a criminal conviction.
• Lima-Marin was sentenced to 98 years in prison for the robbery.
• He was mistakenly paroled from Colorado state prison in 2008.
• Gov. Hickenlooper pardoned Lima-Marin yesterday (Fri, 5/19/17).
• After issuing the pardon Gov. Hickenlooper described Lima-Marin as, “Law-abiding, very successful, constructive member of society.”
  

I had to read the story, because in no way would I believe that issuing a pardon would stop a deportation. And it looks like it wont.

The Governor and the lawyer(s) for Mr. Lima-Marin all admit that the pardon for convictions in the State of Colorado have no impact on the deportation order.

I'd point out that the Colorado legislature voted *unanimously* to recommend a pardon. It's not just the open-borders crowd pushing for leniency here in this case.

(05-20-2017 01:05 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  I had to read the story, because in no way would I believe that issuing a pardon would stop a deportation. And it looks like it wont.

I agree that it probably won't stop -- at least with Trump in charge now.

But that was his intent. The Democratic governor is trying to stop the deportation of a convicted criminal because, well, Lima-Marin is a stand up guy and the gov doesn't care as much about the victims of the crime or the other law-abiding citizens of his state as much as he does about a convicted criminal who should be spending the remainder of his life in prison.

(05-20-2017 01:29 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  The Governor and the lawyer(s) for Mr. Lima-Marin all admit that the pardon for convictions in the State of Colorado have no impact on the deportation order.

I'd point out that the Colorado legislature voted *unanimously* to recommend a pardon. It's not just the open-borders crowd pushing for leniency here in this case.

Yea, they'd need to explain their vote. Its not like this guy wasnt guilty. His accomplice is still serving his 90+ year jail sentence.