Matt Bevin (R) has commuted the life sentence of Paul Donel Hurt, who had served nearly two decades on charges of sexually abusing his 6-year-old stepdaughter. Bevin granted the executive order for the pardon late last week, citing the victim’s controversial recantation of the story that originally sent Hurt to prison. (Steven Beshear’s son, Andy Beshear, a Democrat, was elected to replace Bevin in a hotly contested race earlier this month.) Mershon then helped set up a hearing at which the woman recanted her story that Hurt had sexually abused her. Still, Jefferson Circuit Judge Audra Eckerle decided not to set aside the conviction.

Source: Huffington Post November 26, 2019 19:41 UTC