Federal Presidential Pardon» Carter, 1977-1981

Vietnam Draft Dodgers

Brian J. Zeiger — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:46:23 +0000

Many American’s were against the Vietnam War. At the time of the draft, the baby boomers were at the center of the draft. Sentiment was that the draft was unfair because the rich and the well educated could escape the draft. Many young people left to go to Canada. The United States prosecuted people who avoided the draft.

President Ford issue conditional amnesty to draft dodgers once the war ended. In 1977, President Carter issued full amnesty to all Vietnam era draft dodgers.

According to experts at the time, some 50,000 draft dodgers remained in Canada even after Carter’s full amnesty.

UH-1D Helicopter used to deploy men in the Vietnam War

Peter Yarrow

Brian J. Zeiger — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:42:51 +0000

Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary, and singer and songwriter of Puff the Magic Dragon, had an indiscretion with a 14 year old groupie. He served three months in jail. Carter pardoned him.

This pardon is noteworthy because Yarrow is an unmatched philanthropist. Yarrow has donated countless hours, ideas and his own money to various charities around the world. He started a program to educate young people not just on academics but how to act in society.

Often, potential clients ask us about their “chances” at getting a federal presidential pardon, and I often question them on their charitable givings of time and money because, I believe that these activities truly increase your chances for pardon consideration. Obviously, sex crimes are difficult cases, let alone pardons, but make no mistake that Yarrow’s charitable acts had an effect on his pardon.

Moving by Peter, Paul and Mary.

W. Mark Felt and Edward S. Miller

Brian J. Zeiger — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:22:41 +0000

W. Mark Felt and Edward S. Miller were FBI agents convicted of crimes related to their roles in civil rights violations they committed through their top jobs with the feds. These g-men purportedly abused their power. A closer look at the convictions reveals that these cases are not so simple and perhaps explains the rationale for the pardon.

In 2005, W. Mark Felt revealed that he was “Deep Throat,” the informant that lead to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s breaking the Watergate scandal. He was the original whistleblower. I digress.

Felt was the second highest ranking FBI agent during most of the Nixon presidency. He believed that our government should police and take proactive steps in preventing bombings by fundamentalist political organizations. He ordered searches of the homes of members of the Weather Underground Organization, to prevent said bombings. He did this without probable cause and without warrants. He was convicted of this offense, but was then pardoned by Reagan during his appeal.

Edward S. Miller, not as notorious as Felt, was the head of the division of the FBI that ran the illegal searches of the homes of people suspected to be part of radical groups in the United States. He referred to these searches as “black-bag jobs.” He ran the jobs associated with the Weather Underground illegal searches.

Once the Vietnam War had ended, so did the Weather Underground. Carter granted amnesty.

The break-in boys got off. Felt and Miller were tried and convicted together. Reagan pardoned both men. The break-in boys got off.

From the Weather Underground FBI Wanted Poster, circa 1970.

Oscar Collazo

Brian J. Zeiger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:56:25 +0000

Oscar Collazo was a leader in the Puerto Rican independence movement. He was the President of the Nationalist Party of New York.

In October 1950, a Puerto Rican independence attempt, called the Jayuya Uprising was quelled and Puerto Rico remained a possession of the United States. Shortly thereafter, Collazo and another man attempted to assassinate President Harry S. Truman. Collazo was arrested, tried, found guilty, sentenced to death and incarecerated.

Oddly, Truman was not against Puerto Rican independence. When confronted on why Truman would be the target of of the Nationalist movement, Collazo said that it was a signal to the world of Puerto Rico’s fight for independence.

Truman commuted the death sentence to life. Collazo was eligible for parole in 1966, but never acknowledged the conviction and thereby never applied for parole. In 1979, Carter commuted the sentence.

Puerto Rican Independence

Patty Hearst

Brian J. Zeiger — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:26:15 +0000

Patty was a newspaper heiress, who was kidnapped in 1974 by the Symbionese Liberation Army (hereinafter “SLA”). She was assaulted mentally, physically, and sexually by her captors. She was brainwashed into believing that she was part of the SLA, for which she was later diagnosed with Stockholm syndrome. In 1976 Hearst took part in a bank robbery with the SLA. At her trial she refused to name names. She was ultimately convicted of armed bank robbery and using a firearm during a felony; she was sentenced to 35 years, which was reduced to 7 years.

President Carter commuted her sentence and she was released from prison on February 1, 1979 after serving approximately 22 months in jail. On January 20, 2001, on his last day in office President Clinton granted Hearst a full pardon.

Patty Hearst - pardon me!