Virginia's governor pardoned four former sailors who became known as the "Norfolk Four," ending a decades-long fight to clear the men of rape and murder convictions based on intimidating police interrogations. Terry McAuliffe told the Associated Press on Tuesday that the governor has granted absolute pardons for the men in the 1997 rape and killing of Michelle Moore-Bosko. Three of the men — Danial Williams, Joseph Dick and Derek Tice — were granted conditional pardons in 2009 by then-Gov. The fourth man, Eric Wilson, who was convicted only of rape, had already been released. Attorneys for the men argued absolute pardons from the governor carried greater weight than court rulings and were essential to helping the men rebuild their lives and reputations.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 21, 2017 19:41 UTC