Wisconsin Pardon Advisory Board hears more than 30 clemency applicants in virtual session; board to deliberate in closed session

The Governor's Pardon Advisory Board convened a virtual hearing Feb. 14 to hear testimony from more than 30 people seeking pardons. Chair Mel Barnes, the governor's chief legal counsel, and board members Myrna Warrington and Reverend Jerry Hancock heard five-minute presentations from applicants across two sessions and then moved into closed session to deliberate on recommendations to the governor.

Why it matters: A governor's pardon removes or mitigates the collateral consequences of a conviction — affecting employment, professional licensing, international travel and gun rights — and can influence an applicant's ability to work in caregiving, law, education and other regulated fields.

The hearing was largely procedural: applicants were asked to summarize their offenses, explain what they had done since completing sentences, and say why they sought a pardon. Many applicants described long periods of sobriety, steady employment, volunteer work and community involvement. Several applicants said a pardon would remove barriers to work or licensing; one said it would help with bar admission character-and-fitness reviews.

Notable applicants and testimony

- Jerome Locke, who said he was convicted after an officer was bitten during an arrest in 1988,…