Dear editor:
Folks, our prisons have many inmates proven guilty and convicted of murder who beg for mercy when the execution date draws close. One such killer is Jason McGehee. Johnny Melbourne Jr. was 15 years old when Jason McGehee attacked, beat, tortured, tied his hands behind his back, then strangled him with an electrical cord. Jason McGehee never showed his victim any mercy, in fact, the boy definitely endured a horrible death! Jason McGehee shouldn't be given mercy, nor his sentence commuted to life in prison without the chance of parole!
The Arkansas Parole board consists of seven members. Six of these members voted for clemency. John Felts was the only member who voted against clemency, which was absolutely the correct vote. We need to replace those six board members and replace them with people who support the death penalty.
Then we have people like former corrections director Ray Hobbs saying Jason McGehee is a model inmate who still has value he can give to others if his life is spared. Mr. Hobbs, Jason McGehee hasn't anything of value for anyone. And if you truly believe that, you're a idiot!
Charlie Coburn
Hot Springs
Editorial on 04/19/2017