Barbour had hand in killer’s release

Barbour had hand in killer’s release

Biloxi, Miss. • The Sun Herald newspaper has learned that Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour helped in the early release of convicted killer Joseph Goff, whose release Friday after serving eight years of a 20-year sentence has drawn outrage from law enforcement and the community.

Barbour spokeswoman Laura Hipp says he had nothing to do with most of the time taken off Goff’s sentence — more than eight years. “The governor did not pardon or release him from prison,” Hipp said in an email.

But 130 days of the time off Goff received was granted by Barbour for work Goff did cleaning up after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to Mississippi officials.

Salt Lake Tribune
3/27/11